


Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War IV: Omega

by SWEULover2007



Series: Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey [6]
Category: Star Wars Legends: Legacy Era - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, lovemaking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 12:07:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 33
Words: 132,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12770745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SWEULover2007/pseuds/SWEULover2007
Summary: It all comes down to this. The Shadow Alliance has invaded Korriban, and all Hell is about to break loose. Both the Light and the Dark Sides of the Force will collide in a battle for the ages, and no one will emerge unscathed. There, many people will meet their end and face their destinies, and Edaan Palpatine will be the shatterpoint for it all. This is my final Jedi Odyssey story. Review!





	1. Dramatis Personae and Prologue

Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War IV: Omega

 

_Dramatis Personae_

 

0-0-0 (“Triple Zero”); Assassin Droid

Adari Thayn Palpatine; Teras Käsi instructor (Keshiri Female)

Akku Sei II; Mandalorian captain (Anzati Male)

Allana Solo; Jedi Knight; _Chume'da_ of the Hapes Consortium (Human Female)

Armand Vorn; Former Captain in Neo Death Watch (Human Male)

Atai Molec; Zygerria Governor/Mechanic (Zygerrian Male)

Azzim Anjilic Atirue; Hutt lord (Masculine Hutt)

Ben Skywalker; Jedi Master (Human Male)

Boba Fett; Mandalorian Bounty Hunter, _Mand’_ _alor_ (Human Male)

C1-10p (“Chopper”); Astromech Droid

C-3PO (“Threepio”); Protocol Droid

Chelli Lona Aphra; Rogue Archaeologist (Human Female)

Corran Horn; Jedi Council Member (Human Male)

Darth Krayt (Formerly A’Sharad Hett); Dread Lord of the Sith; (Human Male)

Darth Malleus (Formerly Telloti Cillmam'n); Sith Lord; (Human Male)

Darth Sedriss (Formerly Sidirri); Sith Lady (Human Female)

Darth See-Chok (Formerly Shon-Ju); Sith Lord; (Human Male)

Darth Snoke (Formerly Ezra Bridger); Sith Lord (Human Male)

Darth Wyyrlok; Sith Lord (Chagrian Male)

Dinua Jeban; Mandalorian (Human Female)

Edaan Palpatine; Jedi Knight, Leader of the Shadow Alliance (Human Male)

Han Solo; Captain of the _Millennium Falcon_ (Human Male)

Garzeb “Zeb” Orrelios; Lira San Navy Supreme Commader (Lasat Male)

Gavin Darklighter; Galactic Alliance Admiral (Human Male)

Ghes Orade; Mandalorian warrior (Human Male)

Jaden Korr; Jedi Knight (Human Male)

Jaina Solo Fel; Galactic Empress (Human Female)

Jarael Chantique; medic (Iskalloni Female)

K’Kruhk; Jedi Council Member (Whiphid Male)

Kral Nevil; Galactic Alliance Commodore (Quarren Male)

Leia Organa Solo; Jedi Master; (Human Female)

Luke Skywalker; Former Jedi Grand Master (Human Male)

Mirta Gev; Neo Death Watch deserter, Mandalorian Commander (Human-Kiffar Female)

Nala Se; Renegade Cloner and Scientist (Kaminoan Female)

Nek Bwua’tu; Shadow Alliance Navy Supreme Commander (Bothan Male)

Robonino; Professional slicer/bounty hunter (Patrolian Slicer)

Rook Saxon; Mandalorian, One Sith Commander (Human Female)

R2-D2 (“Artoo”); Astromech Droid

Saba Sabatyne; Jedi Council member (Barabel Female)

Sabine Wren; Mandalorian Commander (Human Female)

Seelah Verge; former Sith Saber (Keshiri Female)

Sintas Vel; Mandalorian Bounty Hunter (Kiffar Female)

Sorzus; Sith Lady (Chagrian Female)

Tau Palpatine; Jedi Agent (Human Male)

Tenel Ka Djo; Hapes Consortium Queen Mother (Human Female)

T’Ra Saa; Jedi Council Member (Neti Female)

Traest Kre’frey; Confederation Admiral (Bothan Male)

Trista Zel; Hapes Consortium Bodyguard and Commander (Human Female)

Venku Skirata; Mandalorian leader (Human Male)

Vestara Khai; former Sith Lady (Human Female)

Voort “Piggy” sa Binring; Wraith Squadron Leader (Gamorrean Male)

X2; Jedi Master; (Human Male)   


_The darkness is powerful, and draws in allies from all corners of the galaxy. But the Light has grown in strength, and now has the strength to shine across the galaxy. All that remains is for the greatest surviving champions of each side to face off, and the survivor will determine the fate of the galaxy for many years to come._

 

**Hello, everybody, old and new fans of my stories. How are you doing on this warm afternoon of April 11, 2017? I am doing well, as I am relaxing at my grandparents’ house for one last day before I head back home for school and work. Oh, and I have started _The Witcher: The Lady of the Lake_ two days ago, and I have already finished over a fifth of the book. I expect to read most, if not all of it, by the end of tomorrow due to the long trip back home. Anyway, as of last night, I discovered a great crossover between The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars called _The Arda Campaign,_ which is being written by Lord Exar Kun on fanfiction.net, and it is a masterpiece. I highly recommend the story to anyone who is a fan of both series. By the way, Lord Exar Kun, like me, reveres the Original Expanded Universe, and immensely desires for it to continue. Well, let’s get back to the story. It has occurred to me that I have not mentioned Edaan’s personal Tuk’ata known as “Butch” for quite some time, as well as Seelah Verge and her fellow ex-Lost Tribe Sith. Well, don’t worry; I plan to include them in my final story, which should, if I’m lucky, take up at least six months of my time. I hope that you enjoyed the Dramatis Personae and prologue of my final story. I have to inform you, though, that my next chapter will likely take at least a week to write, given my busy schedule of this week due to my time at community college on Thursday, my job at the movie theater on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, and my volunteering on Fridays. But, that’s okay, as I need time to figure out what to write for my first full chapter of this soon-to-be amazing story. Well, I’d best be signing off for now, as I have some homework to do today. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


	2. Chapter 1

**Good evening, Star Wars EU lovers and enthusiasts! What’s going on in the evening of April 12, 2017? I am well, as I am finally home, and I finished the book _The Witcher: The Lady of the Lake_ on the way home, which means that I finished it in under seventy-two hours, which is pretty impressive, since this novel was 531 pages long. I am currently reading Sequart Organization’s _A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe_ , and it is interesting, to say the least. By the way, are you guys aware that what could possibly the best New Canon Star Wars book out there, _Star Wars: Thrawn_ , and the second prequel _Injustice: Gods Among Us comic_ , ** **_Injustice 2_ ** **, began or released yesterday, and I can’t wait to read each of them. Oh, and I’ve decided to buy the comic book versions of** **_Dragon Age: Knight Errant_ ** **and _Mass Effect: Andromeda: Discovery_ when they come out, as I do not want to wait over four months for the graphic novel versions of each collection of comics. So, on to the story, I have included the characters of Tenel Ka, Allana Solo, and Traest Kre’frey in my Dramatis Personae because I plan to use each of them in my story in big ways. Spoiler alert!! (Well, not really, because I’m sure that all of you expected this.) My final story will have a lot of death during the Siege of Korriban. Oh, one more thing before I begin the first chapter that starts the Siege of Korriban. Are all of you guys aware that, in just thirteen short and miserable days, it will be the third accursed anniversary of the death of the Expanded Universe due to Lucasfilm and Disney? I don’t know about you, but that extremely painful knowledge just makes my blood boil in rage and despair. I am sure that it will especially make Lord Exar Kun and a few of my other correspondents on fanfiction.net angry and disappointed as well, as we had grown up with the original stories, and highly desire for those storylines to continue. One last thing. How long do you guys think that this story will be, because my last story was 290 pages long in Word Document form? Well, I’d better get started, because I’ve got a LOT of work ahead of me. May the Force be with me, because I’m going to need it in order to get through what comes next. **

**(April 14, 2017 Addendum.) Hey, everyone. What’s going on with all of you in the late afternoon of April 14, 2017? I am all right, as I saw _The Fate of the Furious_ with my dad, and I got my first paycheck from the movie theater that I work at, and all that I will say is that it is pretty decent. But, I have to admit that I am pretty disappointed with what I have learned, so far, about the literature content of Star Wars Celebration Orlando, as I hoped for at least a little Expanded Universe content to be released. Now, don’t get me wrong, I understand the need to advertise the release of the upcoming movie, _Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi_ , but I fear for what I consider to be the soul of Star Wars to be in mortal danger due to Disney and Lucasfilm’s controversial policies. Why is it so hard for the Lucasfilm Story Group to truly acknowledge the desires of many fans, and actually continue the Expanded Universe in a bigger capacity than it already is, but not as big as it used to be, just like the Expanded Universe New Republic’s plans for its navy, as outlined in _Star Wars:_ _The Essential Guide to Warfare_? Wouldn’t it please people of both sides of the Star Wars spectrum, and stop this pointless divide between fans of either canon? I have to tell all of you that there is a hole in my heart where the Star Wars Expanded Universe used to be before the Lucasfilm Story Group ripped it apart. I pray to the Lord that one day, it can be filled with something just as good. Well, I guess that I’d better get back to writing, as this chapter will include a lot of ships, and will begin the Invasion of Korriban. May the Force be with us all in the Dark Times of the New Canon. **

 

_730 Hours_

_Day 101 Since the Shadow Alliance’_ _s Formation_

_In Hyperspace; En Route To The Horuset System_

_15 Minutes Until Reversion into Realspace_

_On Board the_ Dragon Queen II

 

As the Hapan Consortium flagship, the Hapan Battle Dragon known as the _Dragon Queen II_ , rapidly approached the One Sith stronghold world of Korriban with the rest of the Shadow Alliance fleet, Trista Zel, royal bodyguard to Hapan Queen Mother Tenel Ka, was finalizing the fleet deployment strategy for when they would assault the space portion of the attack on the planet of Korriban, the ancient birthplace of the Sith species and the first Sith Order.

 

“So it’s decided, then. Once the entire Shadow Alliance armada reverts into realspace, the _Megador_ and _Nossor Ri_ will take point, with the larger capital ships, including the _Dodonna_ , Varl’s Legacy, and the Confederation’s two Corellian Dreadnaughts, close behind them, and they will control the battle against the weakened One Sith navy while our ground forces lead the charge against the One Sith’s planetside troops in the city of Dreshdae, and will then descend into the catacombs to eradicate the One Sith order and rescue Jedi Knight Edaan Palpatine and his compatriots.” Trista recapped to the other members of the Shadow Alliance’s War Council that were present in holographic form, minus Edaan Palpatine, who was a prisoner of the One Sith, which included Natasi Daala’s son and Neo Death Watch deserter, Armand Vorn; Hutt _kajidic_ Azzim Anjilic Atirue; _Mand’_ _alor_ Boba Fett; Jedi Council member Corran Horn; Galactic Alliance Starfighter Commander’s Gavin Darklighter; empress of the Fel Empire and second-in-command of the Imperial Knights, Jaina Solo Fel, Confederation Admiral Traest Kre’frey; and the Supreme Commander of the Shadow Alliance’s navy and military, Nek Bwua’tu.

 

“ _Precisely, Commander Zel._ ” Nek Bwua’tu crisply said as he issued orders to unseen members of the _Megador_ ’s bridge crew. He then continued, addressing each council member of the Shadow Alliance’s High Command as he said, “ _The timing of Operation: Endgame must be flawless, so it is imperative that the navy and army fights as one under my leadership, otherwise, there will be discord, and discord loses battles and wars, as you all no doubt know. May the Force be with us all, because we will need it in order to win this shadow war._ ”

 

With those final words spoken, the holograms of each council member of the Shadow Alliance’s High Command ended one after another, leaving Trista and her two guests alone with their thoughts.

 

Trista soon turned to face her two superiors, Tenel Ka Djo, the Queen Mother of the Hapes Consortium, and Allana Solo, the princess, or _Chume'da_ , of the Hapes Consortium, and said with as much professionalism that she could muster to her cousin, “Do you have any advice for this fleet commander before she embarks on what very well could be her final mission?”

 

“You have already led our people into war against Natasi Daala with great skill and wisdom, cousin. You already have everything that you need to help end the Sith scourge that has infected the galaxy for the last five thousand years.” Tenel Ka said with her authority that came with being the ruler of sixty-three systems as she placed her sole remaining hand on her cousin’s left shoulder.

 

“Well, then I suppose that the two of you had better head down to the shuttles, where the rest of the ground forces on the _Dragon Queen II_ are awaiting your arrival.” Trista said to Tenel Ka and Allana, the latter of which smiled in amusement upon being treated with such humorous respect.

 

“May the Force be with you, Trista.” Allana said as she hugged her cousin in a strong embrace, who awkwardly reciprocated after a few seconds. Once the hug ended, Allana let go of Trista and followed her mother down to the hangar bay, leaving a fearful Trista on the bridge in order to coordinate the Hapan portion of the inevitable battle.

 

_Twelve Minutes Later_

_In the Horuset System_

_Onboard the_ Dreadnaught _-class Heavy Cruiser_ A’den

 

Rook Saxon, the supreme commander of the One Sith’s naval and ground forces, as well as the daughter of the late Sith minion and Imperial Viceroy of Sundari known as Gar Saxon, was keeping her fleet on high alert, as the second-in-command of the One Sith, the Chagrian known as Darth Wyyrlok, had informed her that the Shadow Alliance would be arriving in the Horuset system within the hour. It was for this reason that she was staring intently into space for the last thirty minutes, when the ship’s proximity’s alarms began blaring all across the bridge. She then turned to the tactical officer and, getting right to the point, brusquely said, “How many Shadow Alliance ships are entering the system?”

 

The tactical officer paled upon seeing the number, and meekly said, “Well over five hundred of various sizes, sir.”

 

Once the number registered in her head, she slowly turned to see the Shadow Alliance’s humongous fleet emerge from hyperspace, one ship after another coming in a quick pace. The fleet was comprised of the final Super Star Destroyer in existence, the _Megador_ , eleven _Galactic_ -class Battle Carriers, fifty-five _Imperial_ II-class Star Destroyers, three _Interdictor_ -class Cruisers, ten _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers, seven _Nebula_ -class Star Destroyers, four Star Galleon-class Frigates, and twelve MC90 Capitol Ship cruisers, Fifty-one _Lancer_ -class frigates, and two heavily armed _Lucrehulk_ -class battleships that were loaded with advanced starfighters of various designs, the Mon Calamari Vicount-Class Star Defender, the _Nossor Ri_ , seven Hapan Battle Dragons, fifteen _Nova_ -Class battle cruisers, eight Beta cruisors, and one wing of X-Wings, Miytil starfighters, and Miy’til assault bombers, ten _Turbulent_ -class Star Destroyers, eighteen _chelandion_ -class warships, seventeen Hutt Batils and Tarradas each, thirty-two _Dreadnaught_ -class heavy cruisers that were modified to operate with a crew of only five thousand crewman, about sixty thousand former followers of the deceased Falleen anarchist priest known as Xasha Xizor came in ships in various designs and sizes, such as _Vainglorious_ -class cruisers, _Consular_ -class Cruisers, _Carrack_ -class Light Cruisers with external starfighter racks, _Venerator_ -class Star Destroyers, and so on, one _Venerator_ -class Star Destroyer, one _Acclamator_ -class assault ship, two Invincible-class Dreadnaught Heavy Cruisers, three _Keldabe_ -Class battleships, two Assault Frigates class Mark II, four _Republic_ -class cruisers, ten _Assassin_ -class Corvettes, two Corellian Dreadnaughts under the command of Admiral Genna Delpin, eight Bothan Assault Carriers, the entire fleet of Commenorian support ships, two wings of hyperspace-capable fighters that were designated “ _Predator_ -class fighters”, most of the Predators being manned by members of the elite One-Hundred-and-Eighty-First Wing, nine wings of _bes'uliiks_ , twenty _Firespray_ -class interceptors, sixty-seven MandalMotors Pursuer-class enforcement ships, three _Aggressor_ -class Star Destroyers, eighteen _Keldabe_ -Class Battleships, ten _Crusader_ -class corvettes, two wings of Mando-Verpine Assault Fighters, a wing of _StarViper_ -class attack platforms, and five wings of _Vyrhawk_ fighter bombers, the ten crime lords form Ord Mantell, as well as various gangs, militias, royal forces from Taris, Zygerria, and Falleen came to aid Edaan after he helped them in times of dire need, three _MedStar_ -class Frigates, one-and-a-half wings of Scimitar assault bombers, two _Strike_ -class Medium Cruisers that belonged to Loronar Corporation, with five _Imperial_ I-Class Star Destroyers, two wings of TIE/LN Starfighters that, according to the sensors, had heavy armaments that included proton torpedo launchers and heavy laser cannons attached to them, two _Victory_ -class Star Destroyers, two wings of _Kom’rk_ -class fighters/transports, six Assault Frigates class Mark II, three _Stathas_ -class freighters, one _Marauder_ -class Corvette, one _Endurqnce_ -class Fleet Carrier that contained a wing of K-Wings, B-Wings, and A-Wings each, twenty-six _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers with normal crews, twenty-two _Invincible_ -class Dreadnaught Heavy Cruisers, two _Crusader_ -class corvettes, one Nebulon-B Frigate, a _Scimitar_ -class frigate, a wing of fighters ranging from before the rise of the First Empire to the era of the Second Galactic Civil War, a wing of Scimitar assault bombers, a _Crusader_ -class corvette, one wing of _Kom’rk_ -class fighters/transports, a Republic Star Destroyer, and a Republic-class cruiser.

 

Upon seeing the entire Shadow Alliance armada arrayed in front of her meager fleet of one wing of _Kom’rk_ -class fighters/transports, one wing of _Bes’uliik_ Starfighters, a wing of lethal Mandalorian Fang Fighters, two _Keldabe_ -class battleships, eight heavily modified _Pursuer_ -class enforcement ships, thirteen _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers, three _Imperial_ II-class Star Destroyers, five _Invincible_ -class Dreadnaught Heavy Cruisers, and the remaining corporate and slaver forces that had managed to escape the Defense of Mandalore, she nearly fainted from the immense feeling of dread and despair that had gripped her heart and mind.

 

“What have we done?” Rook whispered in a pathetic silence as the severity of defeat and the deaths of her remaining comrades in either battle or a trial by the Jedi-led governments weighed on her very soul.

 

“Sir, your orders?” The communications officer somehow managed to get out after he turned away from the view of the enemy fleet in order to face his commander.

 

After what seemed like an eternity, she opened her mouth to tell her crews to surrender, but, before a single word could exit her mouth, her personal hologram communicator began to beep, causing her to take it out of her pocket and activate it, revealing a calm and composed Darth Wyyrlok, who then said, “ _Supreme Commander, I sincerely hope that you are not planning to surrender to the Jedi and their Shadow Alliance, are you? Because if you are, then I would have to destroy you and the entire_ A’den _._ ”

 

“What would you have me, do, Wyyrlok? Look at the fleet that has come to destroy us. All of my men in space must be having heart attacks right now at the prospect of facing a force of this magnitude. We cannot win this war, and my duty is to look after the men and women that are under my command. And what do you mean that you would destroy me and the _A’den_?” Rook despondently said before she felt a grip on her throat, which quickly tightened to the point that she began to gasp due to the lack of oxygen in her body, as well as the pain on her throat that was increasing by the second.

 

“ _What I mean, Rook Saxon, is that my agents have, ever since your fleet escaped the Battle of Mandalore, placed many explosives on each of your capital ships._ ” Wyyrlok explained to his subordinate, which made her gasp with what little air that was left in her lungs before he continued, saying, “ _If I detect even a hint of treachery from you, or even one of your ships and its crew, I will have your dreadnaught destroyed, and will have your fleet destroyed by the Jedi and their allies. Do you understand?_ ”

 

When he saw Rook nodded with the majority of her rapidly diminishing strength, he released her from his grip, allowing her body to reflexively draw in as much oxygen into her body as she could take in, even as she fell to her knees due to the excruciating pain that she was in.

 

“Good. Now, listen to me carefully…” Wyyrlok said before he began to lay out the plan that Darth Krayt had created in order to destroy the Shadow Alliance.

 

 _Meanwhile, On the_ Executor _-Class Star Dreadnaught_ Megador

 

Nek Bwua’tu, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo, and the members of the resurrected advisory body known as the Grey Cadre, Galactic Alliance commodore Turk Brand, Galactic Alliance admirals Kir Vantai and Firmus Nantz, Galactic Alliance general Etahn A’baht, and Galactic Alliance senators Ponc Gavirsom, Releqy A'Kla, and Ta’laam Ranth, looked out into space to see the Shadow Alliance fleet take up positions for the hopefully short but decisive battle between them and the meager forces that the One Sith had sent to greet them.

 

“I had expected Krayt to send more than sixty various ships to defend Korriban, but I suppose that the true battle will be on the ground soon enough.” Bwau’tu said to no one in particular.

 

“It’s more likely a trap of some kind in an effort to thin our numbers for the invasion.” Etahn A’baht replied before he continued, saying, “We need to draw the enemy fleet away from Dreshdae so that our forces can begin landing, as we have captives to rescue, and a Sith order to destroy.”

 

“Don’t worry, General A’baht. Leave the fleet to our StealhX wings and the rest of our fighters. You just worry about advising Supreme Commander Bwua’tu on the coming space battle.” Luke said as he and Leia headed to the _Jade Shadow_ and _Millennium Falcon_ , respectively, and prepare to join the ground invasion force that would soon debark from the city of Dreshdae.

 

When the two Jedi left the bridge, Nek turned his head to speak to the communications officer, and said, “Open a channel to the enemy fleet. I wish to speak to the leader of this motley force.”

 

The communications officer nodded in response, and, soon enough, a holoimage of a woman in Mandalorian armor appeared. The woman quickly spoke, saying, “ _Greetings, Supreme Commander Bwua’tu. My name is Rook Saxon, and I lead the One Sith’s fleet and armies in Black Krrsantan’s absence. I know what it is that you want, Bwua’tu and my answer is no._ ”

 

“Be reasonable, Commander Saxon. I am trying to offer you a way out of the death and destruction that my fleets and armies will rain down upon you and your masters. If you surrender your fleet now, I will promise you that we will treat you and your allies as honorable prisoners of war.” Bwua’tu said in the faint hope that Rook would take the offer, as he did not want to lose any lives under his command without at least trying to save lives on both sides without shedding blood.

 

“ _I am sorry, Bwua’tu, but I am under orders to engage you, and I have no choice in the matter, as this is the only way to make sure that at least some of our forces survive the imminent battle. Pray to whatever powers you may believe in, because only they can help you survive what is to come next_.” Rook said before she motioned to an unseen person to cut the communication, and the Holonet link was quickly ended.

 

After Bwua’tu sighed in defeat upon realizing that the battle would result in more needless death, he quickly found his resolve and said to his command crew, “Inform all ships to prepare for battle! May the Force be with us all in these next few days, as they will decide the fate of the entire galaxy.” The fleets of both sides then took their battle formations, and prepared for whoever made the next move.

 

**Well, here ends the first full chapter of my final story. Tell me what you guys think, because I think that in one or two more chapters, all hell is about to break loose. So, did you guys see the Season Four trailer of** **_Star Wars Rebels_ ** **, because I sure did, and it has me both sad and excited? I am sad because it is the final season of the show, and because it is only fifteen episodes long, but eager because I am eager for what will occur in the final “** **canon** **” days before the First Galactic Civil War. Oh, and I learned more about the upcoming Star Wars game, _Star Wars: Battlefront II_ , and I will not be buying it due to its adherence to the Disney canon. Anyway, I hope that you guys didn’t mind my addendum at the start of this chapter, but I needed to get my feelings out there in a constructive manner. So, what are you guys doing tomorrow, as I am going to Easter Sunday Mass early in the morning due to my mother’s orders, and I have to work at the movie theater on Easter Sunday as well, so I’ll be pretty busy for the weekend? Oh, and, what did you think of my original character Rook Saxon, as I wanted to make her more human than other Sith servants and Mandalorians, such as Xasha Xizor and Belok Rhal? Well, this ends the night of April 15, 2017. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Happy Easter, all of my fellow fan fiction writers and readers, as well as the various lovers of Star Wars Expanded Universe in all of its forms. How are you guys doing on the evening of Sunday, April 16, 2017, which just so happens to be the final day of Star Wars Celebration Orlando? I am in good spirits this night, as I’ve learned that my copy of _Star Wars: Thrawn_ will be delivered to me tomorrow, and, in addition, I got off about an hour and forty minutes early from work today due to a lack of movies. I have to admit, though, that I am not looking forward to learning about the “** **canon** **” version of Mitth'raw'nuruodo and his rise to becoming a grand admiral, as I prefer the old version over the new one. Anyway, for future reference, my mother gave me some great advice that I will follow when my story ends. And don’t ask me what the advice is, because my lips are sealed. This is just to make sure that I remember this piece of information. Oh, before I forget, I have been considering having Krayt using Azog and Bolg’g tactics from the movie’s _The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies_ ’ in the Battle under the Lonely Mountain near the climax of the Invasion of Korriban. What do you guys think, and be honest, as I immensely value your input? Well, I suppose that I’d better get back to writing, as I like to write, and I need to get some decent writing done for tonight. Wish me luck. **

**(April 17, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everyone. The reason that I am adding this addendum is to inform all of you that, as of now, I have finished reading Sequart Organization’s _A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe_ , and have received the official strategy guide for the old video game _Star Wars: Bounty Hunter_ , and the extremely popular novel _Star Wars: Thrawn_ , which I will soon begin to read later today. I can’t wait to see more of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, villain in both Star Wars timelines. Well, that’s it for today. I’ll get back to writing now. **

**(April 18, 2017 Addendum.) Good evening, everyone. I am sorry to announce that my latest chapter might take longer to post than expected, as I have a big online test and essay to study for that is due this week, so I’ll have to devote a large amount of time to studying. Anyway, have you guys played _Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne: The War For Iokath_ , as I have seen a couple of videos on YouTube, and I am not disappointed with the content. It is a shame though that this is the only outlet of Star Wars Expanded Universe content left out there, because there are some great stories left to be told. Anyway, speaking of good content, as of today, I have started reading _Star Wars: Thrawn_ , and I have not been disappointed by the fifty pages that I’ve read so far. One more thing, I have a sudden craving for J.R.R. Tolkien literature, more specifically, more stories about Middle-Earth. Hopefully, I’ll be able to sate it soon, as I greatly desire good books to read, even though I already have around eighty books to read right now.**

**(April 19, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. What have you been up to on this rainy day? I have made my way up to the nineteenth chapter of _Star Wars: Thrawn_ , and it is an interesting book, even though I can’t integrate any of it into my head canon. Oh, before I forget, I bought some great things today: I bought _The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Extended Edition_ DVD set, as well as three books by J. R. R. Tolkien: _Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-Earth_ , _The Lost Road and Other Writings_ , and _The Silmarillion_. I can’t wait to read them after I read all of my other books, which could take a while, as I still have around eighty books to read about American history and politics. **

_Ten Minutes Later, Onboard the_ Ralroost

 

Confederation Admiral Traest Kre’frey was staring at the holographic projection of the small One Sith fleet that was orbiting over the ancient city of Dreshdae when he received a communication from the Hutt lord known as Azzim Anjiic Atirue, the nephew of the Hutt Kajidic and Hutt Grand Council member Vedo Anjilic Atirue. As the projection of the young Hutt came into view, Traest nodded in acknowledgement of his fellow War Council member’s transmission, and said, “So, this is it. The calm before the storm.”

 

“ _You took the words right out of my mouth, Admiral Kre’frey._ ” Azzim said in agreement before he turned his wormlike body to face the barren planet of Korriban, and continued, saying, “ _I have all of my ion cannons and bombers ready to wreak havoc on the Sith, if Bwua’tu would just give the order to engage these kriffing Sith lackeys._ ”

 

“Well, I have a feeling that we’ll all get our chance at shedding blood soon enough, my friend.” Traest sympathetically said to his compatriot, who he had grown to admire through their many meetings and briefings throughout the last several weeks.

 

Immediately after speaking to his Hutt friend, Traest received a transmission from the _Megador_ , and the authoritative voice of Supreme Commander Bwua’tu came in, saying, “ _Attention, all Shadow Alliance ships, the Chiss fleet has arrived._ _All ships, commence attack!_ ”

 

Upon seeing the eager, and somewhat bloodthirsty, look on Azzim’s face, Traest quickly cut the transmission to the _Varl’s Legacy_ and said to his crew, “Inform all Bothan Assault Carriers to commence attack! We need to draw the enemy fleet away from Dreshdae so our armies can begin the invasion.”

 

*

 

_Two Hours Later, On the Surface of Korriban_

_Four Kilometers Away From the City of Dreshdae_

 

With the orders given for attack, and the Shadow Alliance’s three _Interdictor_ -class Cruisers’ gravity wells activated in order to prevent any escape, the Shadow Alliance deployed seventy-five percent of its fighters and bombers, which included two wings of Jedi StealthX fighters, as well as the _Megador,_ _Nossor Ri_ , _Dodonna_ , _Varl’s Legacy_ , the Confederation’s two Corellian Dreadnaughts, eight Bothan Assault Carriers, against the One Sith’s fleet, and ten Imperial II-class Star Destroyers, launched at the One Sith’s fleet. The Sith’s vessals and fighters, however, proved their superior speed by avoiding the bulk of the lasers of all sizes, ion blasts, and proton torpedoes, with only ten _Kom’rk_ -class fighters/transports, twelve of _Bes’uliik_ Starfighters, five Mandalorian Fang Fighters, one of the eight heavily modified _Pursuer_ -class enforcement ships, and three Loronar Corporation _Strike_ -class Medium Cruisers being destroyed by the barrage that followed. The Shadow Alliance’s fleet then stretched out in order to prevent any enemy ships from escaping, as well as receive any advance warning if any Sith ships arrived to reinforce their outnumbered forces.

 

With the One Sith’s fleet scattered and unable to mount even a paltry defense of Korriban, the Shadow Alliance began to move on to Phase Two of Operation: Endgame, which was to land just over one hundred and sixty thousand forces that was comprised of six hundred Jedi, fifty Imperial Knights, twenty-five former members of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, seventy thousand Mandalorians, twelve thousand Galactic Alliance marines, eight thousand Imperial troops, ten thousand Hutt mercenaries, seven thousand Hapan infantry, eighteen thousand Confederation troopers, twenty thousand former Neo Death Watch soldiers, twenty-five hundred Yuuzhan Vong members of the now defunct warrior caste, as well as their former Shamed Ones, now called the Extolled, the ten thousand members of the many various planetary militias and gangs that Edaan had managed to recruit to his cause, and the ten thousand Chiss soldiers that came to support Jagged Fel’s efforts to finally destroy the Sith in all of its forms.

 

The leaders of the Shadow Alliance’s invasion force, Jedi Grand Master Kyle Katarn, _Mand’alor_ Boba Fett, Fel Empire empress Jaina Solo Fel, Jedi Masters Luke and Ben Skywalker, Jedi Council Members K’Kruhk and Saba Sabatyne, Wraith Squadron leader Voort sa Binring, and Hapan Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo, had set up a makeshift command center within the center of troop deployments, and the two non-Force-sensitive Shadow Alliance commanders were awaiting the seven Force-attuned members of their command team to emerge from their the tent where they were meditating in order to ascertain whether or not Edaan and Tau Palpatine, Vestara Khai, Sabine Wren, Jaden Korr, and the other members of Edaan’s impromptu strike force were still alive under Darth Krayt’s version of hospitality.

 

After a long thirty minutes that seemed to drag on for eternity, the seven Force users exited the tent to see an impatient Boba and Voort awaiting them, with the former angrily saying, “Well, it sure took you guys long enough. The troops are almost ready to move out, and we need to know if Edaan and his friends are still alive or not. So, what have you guys learned, as I will literally strangle all of you if you didn’t find anything, as my granddaughter’s life is at stake, in case you had forgotten?”

 

“Calm down, Fett. We have a general idea of where Edaan and the others are, and, as far as we can tell, they’re alright, for now, at least.” Ben said in frustration, as he could sense Vestara on this world, as well as the light and regret that coursed throughout her very soul, and he had to see for himself whether or not she was truly redeemed and if it was all an act, and if the two of them would take each other back after nearly thirteen years of betrayal and heartbreak. He then continued, saying, “Edaan, Jaden, Mirta, Vestara, Sabine, and the others are still alive within Darth Krayt’s citadel. Unfortunately, there’s no telling whether or not their position will change when this siege turns against him, so we’d better move fast.”

 

“Well, at least we know that they’re still alive, that’s a start.” The Gamorrean squad leader said in an effort to diffuse the tension that was simmering in the command center.

 

“Fine. But this doesn’t end until we get Mirta and the others back.” Boba relented as he turned to face Kyle, Luke, and Tenel Ka, saying, “We’d better get moving, because the invasion of Dreshdae is about to begin, and we can’t afford to get left behind.”

 

“Agreed, Fett.” Kyle said in concurrence as he and the seven other leaders of the Shadow Alliance’s ground invasion force began to head out to the front of the invasion line, as they, minus Voort and the rest of his Wraith Squadron, would be leading the charge against the Sith and their lackeys.

 

_Meanwhile, Within Korriban’_ _s Catacombs_

_In Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

_In Tau Palpatine_ _’s Chambers_

_Well, it’s about blasted time that the Shadow Alliance got here!_ Tau Palpatine, self-appointed Shadow Alliance agent and cloned brother of Edaan Palpatine mentally said as he silently ranted and raved about the poor fortune that he and the other Shadow Alliance members on Korriban had experienced over the last few weeks, or days, in Tau’s case.

 

He was busy finishing adjusting the crystal to Edaan’s lightsaber when Darth Malleus, in Warb Null’s Sith armor, like he always did, barged into his room and said, “Iteration, get ready for your mission! The Jedi and their Shadow Alliance have landed near Dreshdae, and Lord Krayt wants your infiltration to get underway within two hours.”

 

“Understood, Lord Malleus.” Tau said in a drone like tone that befitted a Baktoid Combat Automata and Baktoid Armor Workshop B1 battle droid. As he stared at Malleus, he mentally said, _Oh, how I wish that I could destroy all of you murdering, chaos-loving, galactic abominations! But, I must stay strong for just a little longer, as my brother and all of his friends are counting on me. Only then can I finally give these Sith what’s coming to them. May the Force forgive me if anyone is foolish enough to get in the way of the wrath of Tau Palpatine!_

 

“Good. Soon enough, Iteration, the land will be stained with the blood of the filthy Jedi and their allies.” Malleus said as he chuckled evilly and left Tau’s chambers. As he walked away, he said, “If you’re lucky, you’ll get to murder some Jedi and their weak allies.

 

 _Funny, because they’re not the ones that are outnumbered, outgunned, and outmatched. And if I’m lucky, Malleus will be the first Sith that I slay._ Tau mentally said as he felt the anger well up inside of him, which he kept in a crucible until it would be unleashed against Darth Krayt and his One Sith followers. He then attached Edaan’s lightsaber to his belt and got up from his meditative position, briefly igniting the lightsaber to reveal the beautiful violet glow of the crystal within the weapon, which he greatly admired for a minute in order to center his mind and soul for the inevitable carnage that would soon unfold.

 

_Meanwhile, In the Citadel’s Cell Blocks_

 

Adari Thayn Palpatine was ready for this torturous stay in the One Sith’s citadel, as were her cellmate Vestara Khai, the rest of the Shadow Alliance’s strike force that was captured by the One Sith several weeks earlier within the catacombs of Korriban, and the twenty-eight surviving prisoners that had been captives of the One Sith long before Edaan and the others had arrived on this accursed planet.

 

She, along with Vestara and the other female prisoners of the One Sith, which included her fellow crewmember Jarael Chantique, Mandalorians Dinua Jeban, Mirta Gev, and Sabine Wren, and Seelah Verge, the leader of the deserters of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, who were moved into the same cell block, and were guarded by twenty Sith Lords and Ladies, as well as two cyborg Sith troopers, in order to centralize the One Sith’s defenses, while the men among the prisoners were being held in the adjacent cell block, with an equal amount of Sith guarding their cells in order to minimize the risk of an insurrection.

 

What the guards did not expect, however, were that, thanks to the efforts of a certain C1 astromech droid, the seventy-nine prisoners were armed with lightsabers, Sith Swords, and, in the case of the Patrolian bounty hunter known as Robonino, twin WESTAR-34 blaster pistols that were of the same design of Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett, and in Garazeb Orrelios’s case, his personal Lasan Honor Guard bo-rifle. Due to Chopper communicating with Tau, Sabine, and Zeb, the prisoners were just waiting for Chopper to unlock the cell doors, as well as unleash his small but deadly army of reprogrammed droids as a distraction for the prisoners to escape the citadel.

 

Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, Chopper’s trademark pattern of droidspeak was uttered over the intercoms, and the cell doors were opened. Once the doors were completely opened, the seventy-nine convicts charged out of their cell blocks, killing the bulk of the Sith Lords and Ladies, while forcing five Sith of various species, as well as the two Sith troopers, one of which was missing an arm due to the brief but bloody breakout, to flee and seek reinforcements.

 

_Concurrently, in the Control Center_

C1-10P, the astromech droid better known as “Chopper”, a hero of the early Rebel Alliance in the days before the Heroes of Yavin, was having the time of his life right now, as he was back in his element: sabotaging the designs of the reigning Sith order and aiding the Jedi and their allies. As he gleefully hummed along to the child’s rhyme “Far Above”, he used the citadel’s short-range transmitter to activate each of his two hundred droids of various classes and designs in order for them to wreak havoc across the entire citadel by switching their friend-and-foe identifier. His work done, he rolled out to meet up with Sabine, Zeb, and all of their friends, passing two unconscious technicians that Chopper had shocked unconscious, as well as two FLTCH-series battle droids that he had reprogrammed to follow him wherever he went.

 

_Five Minutes Later, Within Darth Krayt’s Meditation Chambers_

 

Darth Krayt, the Dread Lord of the One Sith, formerly known as the legendary Jedi Master of the old Jedi Order who was named A’Sharad Hett, the son of the even more renowned Jedi Knight Sharad Hett, opened his eyes as he sensed the presences of Darths Wyyrlok and Snoke, as well as Wyyrlok’s daughter, Sorzus, named after one of the original Jedi Exiles and Sith Lords from the Second Great Schism, entering his chambers.

 

Wyyrlok was the first to speak after the three of them kneeled in deference to their master, saying, “My lord, the prisoners are making their way to the entrance of the citadel, just as you have foreseen. Also, our forces are ready for the coming siege. When you give the word, we are ready to enact Phase Two of your plan to defeat the Shadow Alliance.”

 

“The word, my loyal servant, is given.” Krayt simply said in reply as he rose from his meditative position, and continued, saying, “I sense a deep and growing anger from both Edaan Palpatine and his Iteration, which only makes me all the more certain that they are spies and traitors for the Jedi Order.”

 

“Then we should eliminate them right now, my lord, while we still have them within our grasp.” Snoke venomously said, as he immensely hated Edaan Palpatine, as he was an example of everything that he could have been had he not taken the road to the Dark Side. The seventy-six year-old Sith Lord and Beast Master then continued, his voice rising in rage and anger as he spoke, saying, “If we let them go now, then Edaan will reveal everything that he knows about us to the Shadow Alliance, which could spell doom upon us all. Not to mention any data that Chopper and whatever he and his greedy little servos have managed to slice from our systems, as I know that droid, and he will have left other surprises in store for us in addition to the reprogrammed droids that are killing our brothers and sisters as we speak!”

 

“Calm yourself, Lord Snoke. Their deaths will not be in vain if you follow my plan. And, you do not have to worry about your former droid companion and his efforts to undermine our cause, as I have plans for that droid. Now, Lord Wyyrlok, alert our reinforcements that it is time to execute Plan Sixty-Six.” Krayt said in a composed tone before his voice readopted his menacing edge.

 

“By your word, my master.” Wyyrlok said as he activated his personal comlink and spoke to the communications officer, saying, “Send this short burst message across the galaxy: All forces, enact Plan Sixty-Six.”

 

*

 

All across the galaxy, the servants of the Dark Side heard Krayt’s call, and raced to answer their master’s summons.

 

On Dathomir, fifty Nightsisters, as well as thirty Nightbrothers, entered their personal shuttles, and embarked on a journey to Korriban.

 

In the Chiss Ascendancy, several Chiss Star Destroyers deserted their posts, and jumped to hyperspace for a week-long trek to Korriban.

 

In the Tapani Sector, the entire Mecrosa Order, comprised of three hundred members of various species, suddenly left the planets that they were on in order to serve their new master.

 

In the Ualtaullu Rift, the entire order of the Kanzer Exiles, led by their Lord Ravager, departed to Sith Space to serve the Dark Side of the Force.

 

In the Nihil Retreat within the Unknown Regions, the nihilistic Sorcerers of Rhand answered their mutual ally’s call to destruction.

 

On the volcanic world of Mustafar, the enigmatic order of the Blackguard left the planet in order to serve the one who had given their order so much knowledge in recent years.

 

On planets throughout the Perlemian Trade Route, one thousand members of the Sith-originated Black Knights order departed their bases to help destroy their ancient foes.

 

*

 

Darth Krayt, feeling the decreasing distance from his servants from all walks of life, confidently said, “The Jedi and their Shadow Alliance will have no idea what hit them.”

 

**And, that’s a wrap on a very informative chapter of my final story. Don’t worry, all of the organizations and places that I listed near the end of my chapter are true things in the Expanded Universe, thank you,** **_The Jedi Path_ ** **and _Book of Sith_. So, it seems that I am going to use Azog and Bolg’g tactics from the movie _The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies_ in the Battle under the Lonely Mountain near the climax of the Invasion of Korriban. Let’s hope that I can make it work, as I don’t want to disappoint either myself, or all of my friends and fans of this story. Well, how far along are you guys on Mass Effect: Andromeda, as I am on Kadara, and have activated 2 of the 3 monoliths needed in order to get Kadara’s vault online. Hey, it just hit me that by the time that I finish my next chapter, I will have surpassed ten thousand words in this story in under a month. That has me very excited and proud. Well, I guess that there’s nothing else to talk about on April 19, 2017. I will see you all in a few days, and I will include Edaan Palpatine in the next chapter, that’s a promise. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


	4. Chapter 3

**Good evening, Star Wars Expanded Universe collectors! How are all of you doing on this warm day of April 20, 2017? I am doing well, because today I took a difficult online test for one of my community college classes, and I got an A- on it. I don’t know about you, but this has me very grateful, as I needed that grade in order to boost my average up a little bit. Oh, and today, I bought _Injustice: Ground Zero #10_ , and I can’t wait for _Injustice 2_ to be released in comic book format, as well as _Mass Effect: Discovery_ and _Dragon Age: Knight Errant_. So, how far along are you in _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ and _Star Wars: Thrawn_ , because, as of now, I have activated Kadara’s vault in _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ , and have 109 pages left to read in _Star Wars: Thrawn_? Well, there is one bad thing about Thrawn that I should say, as I cannot integrate any of this into my head canon, due to the immense differences in the two canons that are evident in the book (But I still enjoy the book very much, don’t get me wrong about that, as it doesn’t conflict with my morals or ideals.). Anyway, to all my friends out there, how are your fanfictions coming along, as I can’t wait for more of your great stories? To change topics, at this point, I will have surpassed eight thousand words on this story. Well, I guess that I’d better get to work on this chapter, as it won’t write itself. Oh, before I forget, the pun between GAR Contingency Order Sixty-Six and Darth Krayt’s Plan Sixty-Six is intentional, in case any of you were wondering, because they both involve taking down the Jedi Orders of their time. Anyway, back to the story. **

**(April 21, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. Sorry for adding an addendum, but I have some good news to share with all of you. When I was volunteering at my local help center today, I bought a Blu-Ray version of _The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Extended Edition_ for only 22 cents! How great of a bargain is that?!? I can’t wait to watch the movie after I finish _The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Extended Edition_ , as I know that I will greatly enjoy the extra film time included in this disc. As of yesterday, I have finished _Star Wars: Thrawn_ , and have gotten stared on _George Lucas: A Life_ , By: Brian Jay Jones, and what little I have read so far has been interesting. **

_Just Outside Darth Krayt’s Citadel_

 

Edaan Palpatine, cyborg Jedi Knight and founder/leader of the Shadow Alliance, was extremely nervous at this moment, as he was surrounded on all sides by thirty-five Sith troopers, cyberntically altered Force-sensitives that were programmed from birth to be unconditionally obedient to Darth Krayt. Due to the incredible influx of Light Side energy that was approaching the planet, he could feel the forces of the Shadow Alliance landing on the surface of Korriban. In addition, he also sensed that his beloved wife, Adari, along with the bulk of the prisoners, minus the clone Jedi Master known as X2, who, for some reason, was not among the escaping prisoners, were wreaking havoc among the One Sith forces as they made their way to the Citadel’s entrance in order to escape and deliver the vital intelligence that Chopper had gathered to the Shadow Alliance in order to win the shadow war that was at its endgame.

 

Deciding to take a risk, Edaan wrapped himself in a miasma of anger and disgust in order to shield his efforts to communicate with X2 via telepathy. Closing his eyes, he subtly reached out with the Force to search for X2 within Darth Krayt’s citadel, searching every nook and cranny within the stronghold, while avoiding the few rooms that contained the ysalamiri, as he could not reach those areas due to their ability to block a person’s connection to the Force, until he finally found them near Nala Se’s cloning chambers, where a shocking discovery awaited him: He found ten members of the One Sith in various positions within the room, as well as two of the most reviled scientists and archeologists in all of modern history: the rogue Kaminoan scientist known as Nala Se, known for her role in creating the Grand Army of the Republic and creating the inhibitor chips that ensured the Army’s carrying-out of Contingency Order Sixty-Six, and Chelli Lona Aphra, a renegade archeologist that served the Sith Lord Darth Vader during his fall from grace and redemption in Darth Sidious’s eyes about a year after the Battle of Yavin during the Cylo Insurgency, who then went her own way in serving her own selfish interests and monetary desires ever since. He also saw what appeared to be a black protocol droid near Chelli, but he knew that it was the Tarkin Initiative assassin droid 0-0-0, more colloquially known as “Triple Zero.” He also saw the two remaining captives of the One Sith, a haggard Jaden Korr and X2, and, what was the final and most shocking discovery of all, a second Jaden Korr that had a lightsaber and set of clothing that was identical to the first Jaden’s.

 

Shaking of his disbelief of the situation, he pressed onward, entering X2’s subconscious mind, and created a spectral image of how he looked before his body was infused with cybernetics in a failed effort to transform him into the leader of Krayt’s Sith troopers.

 

This sudden intrusion startled the elder cloned Jedi Master, who then said, “ _Edaan?! What in blazes are you doing inside of my mind, and how did you regain your identity after being converted in to a Sith trooper? I can sense a large number of Jedi and other light side-affiliated people arriving within the Horuset System, so that must mean that the Shadow Alliance has finally arrived. How soon can we expect their arrival?_ ”

 

“I’m sorry, but there’s no time for all of those questions, Master X2. I need to know why you and Jaden aren’t with the others, as they are fighting their way to freedom as we speak, and I’m about to make my move and escape Krayt’s Sith troopers. Oh, and, while we’re on the topic, why is there a second Jaden Korr in the same room as you two?!?” Edaan quickly exclaimed, getting right to the heart of the matter and avoiding any small talk.

 

“ _Right. I forgot that you’re like that._ ” X2 mused to himself before he faced the Jedi Knight again and said “ _Well, in a nutshell, Krayt created an Iteration, a perfect clone, of Jaden, and is about to unleash him in order to infiltrate the Jedi Order and report back to Krayt and the rest of the One Sith. And, to make matters worse, Karyt has me and the real Jaden here in order to bear witness to what he calls ‘_ _The Jedi Order_ _’_ _s ultimate destruction._ _’_ ”

 

“Wait. Krayt created _another_ Iteration?!” Edaan said, his voice betraying the shock and aghast that was overflowing from his mouth, before he angrily said, “That’s just great. Let’s just hope that Tau and Ves can figure out that the Iteration that’s coming their way is an imposter, and can be quickly dealt with, as I don’t think that I’ll make it in time to stop him from joining up with them.”

 

“ _Wait, wait. Who’s ‘_ _Tau_ _’?_ ” X2 confusingly said.

 

“Oh, right. You don’t know about Tau.” Edaan awkwardly said as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment of being the one to share this shocking news to X2. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “Uh… Tau is my genetic twin brother, who just so happens to be another Iteration that I managed to deprogram and give him free will, and who then decided to join us in stopping the One Sith.”

 

After a minute of struggling to comprehend what the Jedi Master had just heard, he bellowed, “ _ARE YOU KARKING KIDDING ME?!? There’s two of you running about, and one of you is a Sith clone? As if this galaxy didn’t have enough Palpatines alive and about._ ”

 

“Uh… not helping the situation, Master X2.” Edaan said, more than a little miffed that his superior would talk this way about him.

 

“ _Right. Sorry, Edaan._ ” X2 said after he took a deep breath in order to release all of his concerns into the Force, like he was taught be his master, Luke Skywalker. He then continued, asking Edaan’s spectral projection, “ _So, this ‘Tau’ is loyal to you, and will help us stop the One Sith?_ ”

 

“He’s loyal to his morals and code of honor, Master X2, which will ensure that he will not betray us.” Edaan ardently said in defense of his new brother.

 

“ _Okay… that’s good. Well, we’ll need all of the help that we can get if the Shadow Alliance is to destroy the One Sith and their minions._ ” X2 said as he refocused on the big picture of bringing peace back to the galaxy instead of his own fears and paranoia as a result of being a prisoner of the Sith for nearly thirty years.

 

“Agreed.” Edaan said before he began to disappear from X2’s mind, ardently saying as he vanished, “Look to Jaden and yourself for the strength to endure this pain for just a little longer, as help will arrive. I swear my life on it. May the Force be with you for the next few days.”

 

*

 

Edaan’s consciousness quickly returned to his body, and when he reopened his eyes, he saw five Sith troopers surrounding him, with the holoimage of Darths Krayt, Wyyrlok, Snoke, and Wyyrlok’s daughter, Sorzus, standing in front of him with looks of certainty in their eyes.

 

Fearing the worst, but hoping that the four high-ranking Sith Lords were just there to give Edaan and the Sith troopers orders, Edaan false-loyally said, “How may I serve you, my master?”

 

“ _By dying, Edaan Palpatine._ ” Krayt viciously said, getting right to the crux of the matter, and striking a great deal of fear into Edaan’s heart.

 

“I-I beg your pardon, master?” Edaan said as he subtly prepared his lightsaber for battle against his five potential opponents.

 

“ _You can stop the act,_ Jedi _. I know that you resisted the indoctrination process of the transformation into a Sith trooper, and, due to reasons that for now elude me, along with your Iteration, have been spying on me and my forces for the Jedi and the Shadow Alliance._ ” Krayt smugly said, adding a great deal of venom and anger to his voice as he first spoke the word “Jedi.”

 

Edaan, realizing that his act was over, took in a deep sigh, and angrily said, “When did you figure it out, Krayt?”

 

“ _I suspected that you and the Iteration were spies for the Jedi, even after the gladiator match that left the Iteration injured by your hand, as the two of your performances were just a little too perfect for my tastes. It wasn’t until I felt your consciousness return your body just now that my suspicions were confirmed, and I took the appropriate steps to deal with you, as without you, the Shadow Alliance will crumble._ ” Krayt explained to the young Jedi.

 

“The Shadow Alliance will go on without me, _Krayt_.” Edaan denied as he said the Dread Lord of the Sith’s name like a curse, wishing with all of his heart that he wasn’t under the influence of a Sith sorceror’s spells, and that he could speak Krayt’s true name in order to make him unbalanced in all aspects.

 

“ _For a little while, perhaps._ ” Krayt said as he nodded his head in conceding that point, before he continued, syaing, “ _But you are the shatterpoint who managed to unite the peoples of the galaxy together in your cause, Edaan Palpatine. And with your death, the various forces of the Shadow Alliance will fracture and fall upon each other like wild kath hounds, and your loved ones will pay the price for your failures._ ”

 

As Edaan took in Krayt’s words, as well as his underlying intentions, he said, “Well, then, I guess that I’ll have to stay alive long enough to ensure your order’s demise!” With those last words said, he activated his lightsaber and jumped into the air, doing a 360-degree spin with his body and lightsaber with such speed an precision that he managed to fell four of the five Sith trooper through beheading them, and only what appeared to be one Lorrdian female Sith trooper managed to successfully block Edaan’s strike and survive his surprise attack.

 

As soon as Edaan landed on the on his feet, he was charged at by the Lorrdian Sith trooper, and, with his newly enhanced physical strength, managed to successfully block her clumsy lunge, slash her across her stomach, and use the Force to push her onto the ground, where he then thrusted his lightsaber into her body at least seven times in order to ensure that the greatly enhanced Sith that he was facing could not survive the battle.

 

Once Edaan deactivated his lightsaber, he turned to face the holograms of Krayt, Wyyrlok, Snoke, and Sorzus, and said, “Well, Krayt, it looks like you’ll have to come after me personally if you’re going to kill me. I’ll be waiting for our next encounter.”

 

Upon hearing the challenge, Krayt merely smiled and said, “ _As will I, Edaan Palpatine. As will I._ ” With those words said, the hologrmas faded out, leaving Edaan alone with his thoughts as he processed what had just transpired.

 

 _Okay. So, to recap, now Hett knows where mine and Tau’s loyalties lie, the Shadow Alliance is landing on Korriban in force, Adari and the rest of my loved ones are escaping Hett’s citadel, possibly with an Iteration of Jaden Korr, minus the real Jaden and X2, as they’re being held by Aphra and Nala Se, and Butch is unnacounted for._ Edaan despondently thought as he reached out with the Force to find his loyal Tuk’ata hound, only to find him being examined alive in a laboratory at Nala Se and Aphra’s positions, where the Iteration was leaving the room in a likely effort to join the escaping prisoners.

 

 _Great. Now I need to- Oh, wait. Now that I don’t have to maintain my cover, I can contact Adari through our force bond._ Edaan thought as he mentally slapped himself for not thinking of this plan sooner, and as he began to run to Butch’s last known position in order to rescue his dear friend. _Adari, can you hear me?_ Edaan said as he reached out to his wife through their connection through the Force.

 

_Meanwhile, Near the Citadel’s Entrance_

Adari was busy defeating a repurposed IG-100 Magnaguard through her combined use of the martial arts form of Teras Käsi and the lightsaber skills that Edaan showed her during his practice sessions when Edaan’s warm and firm voice came through in her head and said, _Adari, can you hear me?_

Hoping that Edaan was finally contacting her after so long, Adari mentally replied, hesitatingly saying, _Edaan, is that you_ As soon as she mentally uttered those words, warm feelings of love and relief flowed throughout her body through her connection to Edaan.

 

 _Yes, my love. It’s me. I hate to rush things along, but Krayt knows that Tau and I are spies for the Jedi, and I need to warn you and the rest of our comrades of a grave development._ Edaan said as his tone immediately turned serious.

 

 _Oh, great. What did you unleash on us this time, dear?_ Adari annoyingly thought as she used her lightsaber to slash a Czerka Corporation security guard through her chest, severing her in two.

 

 _Hey, for once, nothing._ Edaan protested before he continued, saying, _There’s an Iteration of Jaden that’s coming towards you guys, and his orders are to infiltrate the Shadow Alliance, which has landed on Korriban near Dreshdae, and undermine our invasion. You guys need to take him out as quickly as possible so that he can’t do any damage to our cause._

_Okay, two things. One, how are we going to tell the Iteration and Jaden apart, and two, what are you going to be doing while we take care of this Iteration, luv?_ Adari questioned as she used her moderate connection to the Force to push an IG assassin droid to the ground, and then cut off its head with her lightsaber.

 

 _Well, the Iteration was wearing Jaden’s clothes, and had Jaden’s lightsaber, which Akku and Vestara should be able to recognize. In the meantime, I’m going to be rescuing Butch, as well as the real Jaden Korr and X2, who are being held captive by Chelli Lona Aphra, Nala Se, and other One Sith scientists._ Edaan said with a severe undercurrent of viciousness in his tone, which Adari was quick to pick up on.

 

 _Edaan, promise me one thing when you confront Aphra and Nala Se: Promise me that you will not lose sight of who you are._ Adari worriedly said as she helped lead the other prisoners closer to the gates of Darth Krayt’s citadel.

 

 _As long as you promise me that you and the others will stay alive. Then we’ve got a deal._ Edaan confidently said, causing Adari to lovingly smile in response to her husband’s confidence.

 

 _All right, it’s a done deal, beloved._ Adari joyfully said as he gave her a mental kiss on her cheek, and then quickly ended the telepathic communication between the two of them, leaving her alone with her calmed mind, which Vestara was quick to notice, and said, “Adari, you’re looking happy, which is odd, considering that we’re in the middle of a jailbreak.”

 

“Edaan just spoke to me, and he’s going to rescue Butch, Jaden, and X2 from Aphra and Nala Se’s clutches.” Adari quickly explained, shocking the former Sith Lady.

 

“Edaan’s blowing his cover?” Akku Sei II, a Mandalorian captain and longtime friend of Edaan, said, overhearing the exchange of words between the two women.

 

“No, Krayt figured out that he and Tau were on our side the whole time, so he had to change his plans. Anyway,” Adari said as she got the conversation back on track. She then continued, saying, “Edaan also warned me that Krayt is sending an Iteration of Jaden our way in order to infiltrate and undermine the Shadow Alliance, so we need to kill him at once. Vestara, Akku, you two will know what Jaden’s lightsaber will look like, so that’s how we’ll know whether or not he’s the imposter. Now, we’d better get going, as we have an invasion force to join.” With the warning given, Adari and the seventy-five surviving prisoners headed out, ready to face any other unexpected obstacles that Krayt sent their way.

 

_Meanwhile, in the Citadel’s Cloning Chambers_

 

Jaden Korr was observing the growing invasion force of the Shadow Alliance, as well as seeing, Butch, Edaan’s friend and loyal Tuk’ata hound, being experimented on alive by Nala Se and the Tarkin Initiative droid designated 0-0-0, better known as “Triple Zero”, when he felt a powerful beacon of Light Side energy near his location. Sharing a knowing look with X2, they silently said “Edaan”, and shared a grim smile, as they knew how much trouble Aphra, Triple Zero, Nala Se were about to be in.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on the third full chapter of _Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War IV: Omega_. So, what did you guys think, and be honest, as I need the constructive criticism. Oh, and, before I go any further, I want to say that Tau Palpatine will be in the next chapter of my story. Now then, how are you all doing on April 24, 2017? I am doing well, as I had lunch at Costco with my mother today, and had a slice of cheese pizza that was loaded with crush red pepper, and I drank a chocolate frozen yogurt as well. Now then, as of last night, I discovered a great fanfiction named _Unexpected Jedi_ , which is a crossover between _The Hobbit_ and _Star Wars_ , and the first five chapters are very interesting. I can’t wait for more of that story when it comes out. Anyway, are you guys aware that tomorrow, it will have been the third anniversary of the destruction of the Star Wars Expanded Universe? I don’t know about you, but knowing that induces feelings of despair and rage inside of me, which I don’t want to feel, but feel regardless. Well, I guess that that’s it for today. Oh, one last thing. Speaking of tomorrow, I will likely not be writing tomorrow due to my first job tomorrow, and my need to work on my final project for my online class at my community college. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


	5. Chapter 4

**Good evening, all of you Star Wars EU fans. How are you doing on the early evening of April 24, 2017? I am well, as I had a few pieces of dark chocolate a little while ago, and I have read all the way to Part II of _George Lucas: A Life_ , By: Brian Jay Jones. So far, the book has been interesting, as it has a lot of facts about George Lucas that I previously did not know about. Anyway, what are you guys up to right now, as I want to get in some writing tonight to make up for the probability of not being able to write tomorrow? Anyway, I was recently on Facebook, and I uploaded my fifth story to a Star Wars fan fiction group, and I already got a reply from someone who like Ben/Vestara stories. To protect the person’s privacy, I won’t give away anything about them, but I will say that they gave me some good constructive criticism on my story, as well on how I portray my characters. I plan to take it into account when I write my remaining chapters in my final story. Anyway, I’d better get to writing, as there’s only so much time left before I have to go to sleep for tomorrow, as I am going to my community college, and am going back to work at my job at the thrift store that I told you guys about a while ago. Well, let’s get writing! Oh, one more thing: I promised you some Tau Palpatine, and that’s what you’re going to get. Now, back to writing.**

_Ten Minutes Later, In The Citadel’s Armory_

Tau Palpatine was emanating wave after waves of anger right now, as, despite the fact that he had, so far, killed ten Sith and thirty-eight members of the One Sith’s secular armies, he was faced with what seemed to be a never-ending influx of Sith and their various security forces.

 

After he killed another two Pau’an Sith Ladies, the constant stream of reinforcements appeared to die down, and Tau took a much-needed break in order to catch his breath. He was so caught up in his panting that he did not sense the approach of Darth Malleus, who was prepared to strike down the turncoat Sith agent with the red blade of Old Republic Sith acolyte Warb Null’s lightsaber staff.

 

The aged Sith Lord was about to deliver the killing blow against Tau when he felt himself be flung across the armory due to a powerful Force push, landing on a broken pile of glass where the Mandalorian Darksaber used to be before the astromech droid known as Chopper managed to steal it back for Sabine Wren.

 

 _Good thing I still have Warb Null’s armor, or that would have been very painful._ Malleus angrily thought as he got back up on his feet, only to see a Sith trooper standing beside Tau, which further incensed the elderly Sith Lord, who then said, “Who are you, and how dare you stop the One Sith from exacting justice against this traitor?!?”

 

“Really, Malleus? You don’t know who I am? Well, I guess that I shouldn’t be surprised, since you were a whiny child during your time among the Jedi Service Corps before Order Sixty-Six.” said a mocking cybernetic voice that was exactly identical to Tau’s.

 

Malleus immediately put the pieces together in his mind, and he inhumanly said, “Oh, I’m going to enjoy cutting down you two spies, and then I’ll go and gut your wife, Edaan, as well as everyone else that you ever cared about.”

 

“Well, first you’ll have to get past the two of us, you murderous brute.” Tau said, quickly catching on to Edaan’s previous use of Dun Möch in order to keep Malleus off-balance in order to make it all the easier to kill him and deprive the One Sith of one of their best warriors.

 

With that insult said, Malleus snapped into a bloodthirsty rage, screamed in rage to the heavens, and leapt into the air at the direction of the two lightsiders. Reacting quickly, the two younger men activating their lightsabers, and the two of them each jumped in a different direction in order to avoid the immense brute strength of Malleus’s strikes.

 

Edaan then mockingly said, “Well, I have to give you an A for effort, Telloti, but an F for your failed attempt at killing us. What do you think, Tau?”

 

“Well, Edaan, I’d have to say that Telloti is nothing but a whiny child, playing at being a man of importance. I mean, why else would he wear a dead man’s armor and betray everything that he ever believed in?” Tau condescendingly replied, which only served to further enrage the Sith Marauder.

 

“You know, I’m getting very angry with the two of you. And for me, that is a very bad thing, so watch yourselves.” Malleus said in warning for the genetic twins.

 

“What? Are you planning to bring down the whole citadel if it kills us?” Edaan questioned in jest, only to realize that Malleus just might do that if he was provoked enough, and then telepathically said to Tau through their Force bond, _Tau, we need to take him out now, while we have the advantage of numbers and strength, and while he’s unhinged, because if we push him too hard, he’ll try and kill everyone if he can’t kill us through a lightsaber duel._

 

 _Understood. How do you want to take him out, brother?_ Tau stoically replied.

 

 _We hit him hard and fast while assaulting him on his flanks, as he’ll be slow due to him wearing all of that bulky armor._ Edaan said, immediately after, launching himself against Malleus in order to start a guerilla war on the Sith Marauder that they were currently dueling, with Tau quickly following him from the opposite direction.

 

Over the next five minutes, the two brothers, due to them sharing the same mindset and tactics, moved in perfect synch, and proved to be too fast for the aged Sith Lord, whose armor was systematically ripped apart due to the duo’s Force-enhanced strength. Soon enough his silver-white afro-styled hair was revealed due to his helmet being ripped off of his head, as well as a part of his ribcage, his right arm, and his left shoulder blade.

 

Seeing an opening in Malleus’s defenses, Edaan, with Tau keeping the Marauder occupied, stuck his lightsaber in the opening that exposed Malleus’s left shoulder blade, which then penetrated the Sith Lord’s heart, and came out on the other side of his armor, killing him within moments as he gasped for breath for his last few seconds. Edaan then deactivated his lightsaber, and the corpse of the fallen Jedi Service Corps member immediately crumpled to the ground.

 

“Well, that’s one Sith Lord down. Only just over two thousand Sith Lords and Ladies to go.” Tau said in satisfaction upon seeing the fallen form of the Sith Marauder.

 

“And this is just the beginning, Tau. By the time the Siege of Korriban is over, we’ll have finally wiped the Sith scourge from the galaxy for good.” Edaan ardently said, scaring Tau a small amount, but deciding to keep his fears to himself, for fear of being on the receiving end of Edaan’s fury.

 

“Right. We’d better get moving if we’re going to get out of here and join Adari and the others.” Tau said, which caused Edaan to shake his head in denial.

 

“Not yet. First we’ve got to rescue Butch, Jaden, and Master X2 from Aphra and Nala Se. I’m not going to leave anyone in the hands of those two demented _schuttas_.” Edaan said with a hint of rancor in his voice, which further scared the clone.

“Edaan, I’m worried about you. You’re beginning to sound just like Krayt and his lackeys.” Tau said in concern for his newfound brother.

 

“Don’t worry, Tau. I’m have no intentions of falling.” Edaan said as he forced himself to calm down from the rage that was flowing through his soul.

 

“Well, so did Ulic Qel-Droma and Luke Skywalker, but we all know how those attempts turned out.” Tau countered in rebuttal as the two brothers began to run towards the cloning lab, where they would further damage the One Sith’s capabilities to fight the Shadow Alliance invasion.

 

“You really are my brother, for no one else could come up with such a clever historical comeback, or, except for Adari and the other members of the Second Chance’s crew, care so much about me enough to stand up to me like that.” Edaan gently said, his voice now devoid of any anger, and instead full of praise as he replied to Tau’s verbal counter.

 

“Thanks, bro.” Tau said in thanks for Edaan’s heartfelt reply as the two brothers picked up their pace in order to quickly arrive at the cloning lab in order to capture Chelli Lona Aphra, Nala Se, and 0-0-0, and rescue Jaden and X2.

 

_Eight Minutes Later_

“I told all of you that we should have gone down into one of the ysalamiri chambers, you _di’kuts_!” Aphra angrily shouted in _Mando_ _’a_ at her colleagues, Kaminoan master cloner Nala Se, Yuuzhan Vong Master Shaper Talleth Qua, and Iskalloni cyberneticist Wantos Myyric, along with Aphra’s personal Tarkin Initiative assassin droid, 0-0-0, which was nicknamed “Triple Zero.”

 

“Look, as much as we all hate this plan, Aphra, we have our orders from Lord Krayt, and defying his orders would result in all of our deaths.” Talleth Qua spat out, as she was equally livid at their master, who promised her vengeance for her people’s defeat and shaming at the end of the Yuuzhan Vong War, due to him carelessly risking their lives for whatever his plan to deal with the Shadow Alliance was.

 

“Well, whatever his plan is, at least we have some protection if Edaan Palaptine and his Iteration manage to break through the doors.” Wantos Myyric said as he referred to the ten acolytes of the One Sith in an effort to keep himself calm, while he was panicking a great deal within his consciousness.

 

“Well, whatever Lord Krayt’s plan is, I’m just glad that he left us three guests to entertain until it’s safe to come out of hiding. And they have so much blood, too.” Triple Zero gleefully said as he prepared an interrogation board for the Tuk’ata hound that was, for some reason that eluded the assassin droid, loyal to the murderous Edaan Palpatine, who was responsible for the destruction of his closest friend, the Tarkin Initiative assassin droid that was designated BT-1, which was disguised as an astromech droid.

 

“And besides, Doctor Aphra, your concerns are unfounded. Edaan will not kill us, as his putrid, precious, and useless Jedi Code will prevent him from killing a defenseless person, much less a prisoner.” Nala Se said in her trademark sanctimonious tone.

 

“Ugh!!!” Aphra said in frustration upon hearing everyone’s shortsightedness, as they did not realize the level of danger that everyone was in. None of the four other individuals realized how angry that Edaan Palpatine could get, how dangerous he could be if he was properly provoked, or how he could become as intimidating as Darth Vader was during her forced employment to him. She still remembered the yellow eyes that stared at her when he discovered the experiments that Darth Krayt had her carry out, and how close he came to snapping and unleashing all of his wrath and fury on her and her colleagues. She wondered what Edaan would do to them, especially since she and the others had turned him into an abomination against his will, and now that there were two of them in the form of the traitorous Iteration that was his clone.

 

As she contemplated the path of self-destruction that she was on, her train of thoughts was interrupted by the sound of a pair of lightsabers beginning to cut through the triple-layered door.

 

All eyes and photoreceptors, including those of the ten One Sith acolytes, turned to see the door slowly dissolve into molten metal, which quickly cooled and turned into steam, and then faded to nothing. Once the steam completely faded, the darkness of the outside was illuminated by a red and violet lightsaber activating, revealing the faces of Edaan Palpatine, whose face was contorted with anger upon seeing his loyal Tuk’ata, Jaden, and X2 being treated like lab rodents.

 

Not in the least bit intimidated by this intrusion, Nala Se turned to face the guards, whose lightsabers were now active, and said with as much aggression her serene voice could muster, “Well, don’t just stand there, you dimwits. Kill the Jedi before they kill you!”

 

After showing a look of resentment upon being ordered about like a bunch of security droids, the ten One Sith acolytes charged, two of which were immediately cut down by an irate Edaan, who, by the look on his face, was not in the mood for any interruptions.

 

The remaining eight Sith regrouped, using telekinesis on various pieces of lab equipment, and throwing them at Edaan and the Iteration, who simultaneously used the Force to push back the debris, and, in the process, killed another two Sith by throwing some of the debris in their direction. With their numbers reduced by forty percent in less than two minutes, the six surviving Sith decided to risk everything on a frontal assault, and three Sith attacked each of the two brothers.

 

Edaan quickly realized that these Sith were little more than the equivalent of veteran Jedi Padawans, and, deciding not to kill them in order to show them an alternative to the Dark Side, deactivated his lightsaber, and pleaded with them, saying, “I’ll give you a chance to live, You don’t have to die a pointless death serving a madman who wants to start another galactic war and cause untold suffering across the galaxy. You can help us stop this madness before it truly begins, and become whatever you want to be.”

 

The three Sith looked at each other as if Edaan had grown a second head, and then resumed the attack, with Edaan reactivating his lightsaber a split second before the three enemy lightsabers reached his head, barely keeping his head attached to his neck. Realizing that these three Sith would not listen to reason, Edaan despondently sighed before he used his free hand to punch the ground, using the Force to amplify his strength and make the Sith lose their balance, which Edaan took advantage of by slashing his lightsaber through the chests of the three enemies, who quickly fell to the ground as they became One with the Force.

 

Once Edaan sensed that the last of his opponents were dead, he turned to face Tau, who was finished with killing his share of the Sith defenders.

 

With the matter of eliminating the scientists’ bodyguards, and Edaan motioned for Tau to release Jaden and X2, Edaan faced the five scientists, and menacingly said, “Well, well, well, here we are once again. I see that we have two guests. Doctor Nala Se, would you be so kind as to introduce me to your associates?”

 

“No need, Edaan Palpatine. We are more than capable of introducing ourselves, and with humility too, unlike this old hag here.” Wantos Myyric said as he struggled to maintain his composure upon seeing the demonic-like expression on Edaan’s face. “My name is Wantos Myyric, and I am a far better cyberneticist than your colleague, Jarael Chantique.”

 

“And I am Talleth Qua, a former Master Shaper for the Yuuzhan Vong before your Galactic Alliance broke the spirit of my people, and forced them into exile on the accursed world of Zonama Sekot.” Talleth said with an equal amount of rancor in her voice that Edaan’s voice contained when he previously spoke.

 

“Ah, so we’ve got two monstrous scientists for two of the most despicable cultures that ever existed working for the most despicable Force-based organization to ever exist. How did I not see that coming?” Edaan contemptuously said before he turned his attention to face Triple Zero, and, upon seeing the wounds that he had inflicted on his loyal friend and tuk’ata hound that he named Butch, he growled out, “What did you do to my friend, you murderbot?!?”

 

“Your friend? Your friend. Interesting, because you didn’t show that much remorse or compassion for Beetee when you sliced him apart in your anger!” Triple Zero retorted.

 

“You and Beetee took part in experiments that created Sith troopers, which are abominations in the Force, and that includes myself in that category now!” Edaan countered as Force Lightning began to discharge from his hands, which made Aphra and Wantos wince in fear upon being on the receiving end of the Jedi Knight’s wrath.

 

“And besides, you weren’t so hesitative in employing the usage of your own Iteration, Edaan Palpatine. Face it, you are no better than the One Sith.” Nala Se said in a haughty and demented tone, which only enraged Edaan even further.

 

“How dare you, you demented, long necked maniac?!? I gave Tau, Vestara, and Butch the freedom to choose their own path, which you and your employers denied them, as well as everyone else that work for Darth Krayt. None of you care about the consequences of your actions as long as there’s profit, glory, or blood to be made, which has caused untold suffering across the galaxy for decades!” Edaan said as even more lightning discharged from his hands in barely controlled anger, before he heard the last thing that he expected, a low whimper from Butch’s mouth, which drained all of the anger out of the young Palpatine, and caused him to deactivate his lightsaber and run to Butch.

 

Examining the intensive wounds that Butch had suffered during his time as a captive of the One Sith, he realized that Butch could still survive if Edaan acted quickly. Throwing a quick look at Tau, which he immediately understood, and kept his lightsaber activated in order to keep the scientists at bay while Edaan began to use the Force to heal the worst of Butch’s wounds.

 

After about five minutes of applying both the healing energies of the Force, as well as another portion of his own life force into Butch in order to accelerate the healing process, Butch slowly got up, and affectionately licked Edaan in gratitude upon seeing how his master and comrade risked his own life to save and heal him.

 

Everyone but Aphra was shocked upon seeing this sentimental display, as she had seen such displays of loyalty and foolish honor among the many denizens of the galaxy, especially the Jedi of the reborn Jedi Order and their allies. She quickly said, “Ugh. Go exit an airlock, you two.” This unpleasant remark earned a lowly growl from Butch, who was only held in check by his master, whose glance of regained pity that was aimed at the self-serving archeologist angered her, as she was not looking for forgiveness from any man or woman for the life that she chose to live.

 

“Shh. Easy, Butch. They’ll all get what’s coming to them soon enough, my friend.” Edaan gently whispered to Butch in order to calm him down. The Tuk’ata hound obeyed his master, and stood down from his attack position, and went to guard the door for any intruders that might attempt to ambush the five adherents of the Light Side.

 

Edaan, now in his right mind with the return of one of his dearest friends, looked to Tau, who was just finishing up unlocking the cages that held Jaden Korr and X2, and the two Jedi slowly exited their prisons, and used the Force to take the blasters from Aphra and Wantos and attach them to their belts so that they would have some form of protection if they faced any opposition when they escaped the citadel. The young Jedi Knight then said to his superiors, “Are you two all right?”   


“We’ll live, Edaan.” X2 said in reply before he gratefully said, “Thank you for coming after us, my friend.”

 

“Hey, you’d do the same for me if you were in my shoes, Master X2. Now then…” Edaan said as he turned to face their five prisoners, and authoritatively said, “The five of you are now prisoners of the Shadow Alliance, and will now be escorted to the leadership, where you will be interrogated, and eventually tried for your various crimes throughout your lifetimes.” He then turned to Triple Zero and said, “I suggest that you download all of the data that you can gather within the next three minutes, Triple Zero, because that’s how long you’ve got until we move out for the nearest Shadow Alliance camp. And if you value your existence, you won’t pull any tricks, or I’ll take off your head, and deliver that to the Shadow Alliance. Do you understand?”

 

“As clear as an Illum crystal, Edaan Palpatine.” Triple Zero said with an undercurrent of hatred and disgust at the notion of being a prisoner of a Jedi that would tear him apart for the knowledge that he possessed.

 

“Good.” Edaan simply said as he prepared for the long journey to Dreshdae, as he sensed that the Shadow Alliance was invading the city, likely as a part of Nek Bwua’tu’s plans to defeat the One Sith. After three minutes, the group of Jedi, their allies, and their prisoners, began to head out, but not before Edaan and Tau ripped apart the lab with their use of the Force, which left Nala Se heartbroken upon seeing her life’s work be destroyed, only to be reborn and survive as a piece of information for her enemies.

 

 _May Lord Krayt deliver vengeance for me and my people, as I fear that I will not be around to see our victory against the Jedi._ Nala Se despondently thought as she began to consider ways to escape this imprisonment.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on the longest chapter of my final story, so far, that is. So, what did you guys think of the fourth chapter in my final story, and be honest? I know that killing Malleus off early might be a surprise, but, don’t worry, I have a plan for every character, and there will be plenty of deaths on the Shadow Alliance’s side, though I won’t say how many, or who will die. Well, how are you doing on this cool day of April 27, 2017? I am well, but I need to get to work on a project for school that’s due soon, as I’m in my final three weeks of school for the spring semester. And I plan to volunteer at my local thrift shop tomorrow, which hopefully means that I will find some good J.R.R. Tolkien books there, as I want to collect all of the books of the _The Lord of the Rings_ Universe. Oh, and I am chomping at the bit for more of my favorite stories, so I am eagerly expecting more chapters very soon, but I can wait a little longer, if need be. Well, I guess that that’s it for today. I’d better get off so that I can work on my school work. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


	6. Chapter 5

**Good afternoon, all of you fellow fanfiction lovers and writers out there! How are you doing on this warm day of April 28, 2017? I am well, as I volunteered at my local help center, and got two good books. One was a series of letters written by the late Ronald Reagan, and the other is a book about the Korean War, the latter of which is over a thousand pages long. So, on to matters about my fanfiction: You may be wondering why I had Nala Se think that thought at the end of the chapter. Well, it’s because (spoiler alert) I might go the route that a certain rogue Kaminoan scientist did at the end _Star Wars: Republic Commando: True Colors_ , which would make my M rating in this story justified in at least one aspect. Oh, and I just realized that, as of mow, I have written over fifteen thousand words in this story so far, and there’s still thirteen days left until it will have been a month after I started this story. How amazing is that? Anyway, I think that this chapter will focus on the Shadow Alliance’s invasion of the city of Dreshdae, as well as the space battle (Or should I say massacre, as the Shadow Alliance holds the advantage of numbers and firepower in space) going on in the Horuset System. But, I must warn you that it will likely take a while, as I have no idea what I’m going to include in this chapter, and I will be making it up as I go. I hope that that’s okay, as I know where I want my story to end, but I just don’t know how to get there. Anyway, I’d better get started on writing this chapter, as it isn’t going to write itself. May the Force be with me and the good guys, as we’re going to need it if we’re going to get through whatever comes next. Oh, one more thing. How are you guys doing in _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ , as I am in the middle of Mission Four, I’ve completed Cora, Vetra, and Jaal’s loyalty quests, and am prepared to go back to Kadara to finish up the quests there, and then go to Elaaden and do the quests there in order to get an outpost established on each of the two aforementioned planets. Well, back to the story!**

**(April 29, 2017 Addendum.) Hey, everyone. How are you doing today, because I have some anger to work through, due to me seeing the tragic movie _The Promise_ , which details the WWI Turkish government’s terrible attempts to wipe out the Armenian population, as well as the tragic love triangle story between three people? I tell you, that movie made my blood boil for so many reasons that I don’t want to mention them all for risking getting kicked off of the site, or by getting any hate mail from any fans of my stories that are in Turkey. So, on to more pleasant news. How are you guys doing in _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ , as I’ve completed the High Noon quest on Kadara by siding with Sloane Kelly (due to me sympathizing with her after reading about her in _Mass Effect: Andromeda: Nexus Uprising_ ), and am about to go to Elaaden, and then take care of Mission Four. Well, I’d better get back to writing the story, as I think I now know how I want Krayt to trap and destroy the Shadow Alliance. Here’s a hint, it involves one of Darth Sidious’s signature Force techniques, one that you all might know from a certain comic book series. Well, wish me luck. Oh, and Squasher, thank you so much for reviewing my first story, and I appreciate that you will read the rest of my stories when you have the time. And I can’t wait for you to include one of my characters in your _Unexpected Jedi_ story, once you’ve read my other four completed stories, and what I’ve managed to write of this story, of course. **

**(May 1, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. How are you doing on this soon-to-be rainy day of May 1, 2017? I am doing well, as I have completed Mission Four of _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ , and am ready to go to Elaaden and establish an outpost there. I decided to switch things up a bit there because I didn’t want to get too bogged down in all of the planetary quests that are popping up. Anyway, are you aware of the significance of May 1 in terms of the Expanded Universe? On May First of 1991, 1992, and 1993, each novel of the Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn, and those books are responsible for revitalizing the Expanded Universe, which I love beyond belief, as all of you know. Anyway, as of two days ago, Iron117Prime updated his Avatar: The Last Airbender & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover, _World’_** **_s Collide_ ** **, and this chapter is amazing, and really sets the stage for more action and excitement in his future chapters. I can’t wait to see what Iron117Prime, as well as all of the other authors that I follow, have in store next for their future works.**

 

_Concurrently, 0.3 Kilometers From the City of Dreshdae_

Ben Skywalker could not comprehend the level of opposition that the surviving Neo Death Watch forces were putting up, as they were fighting as if the very specter of their master was right behind them. For every ten members of their force that was killed, fifteen members of the Shadow Alliance fell in battle. However, the Shadow Alliance was quickly gaining ground against the One Sith’s armies, and was rapidly approaching the ancient city of Dreshdae.

 

However, the Shadow Alliance had learned a painful lesson from the Defense of Mandalore, and was prepared for a brief respite in hostilities in order to discern whether or not the One Sith had a counterattack strategy that would turn the tide of the ongoing siege. That was why the Shadow Alliance army had halted its advance, and Ben, along with Kyle, Boba, Jaina, Luke, K’Kruhk, Saba Sabatyne, Voort, and Tenel Ka Djo, and Allana, were in contact with Nek Bwua’tu and the other Shadow Alliance fleet commanders that were pursuing the retreating from Korriban.

 

“ _Based upon what you all have told me, it is obvious that Krayt is luring us in for an ambush within the catacombs. In addition, there is a potential development that you all should be aware of. While Master Saa was coordinating the battle through the art of Battle Meditation, sensed, and I quote, that “Dark Forces are moving towards Korriban, but exactly what they are, I do not know. In addition, Aristocra Formbi reported that eight Chiss Star Destroyers have abandoned their posts across the Chiss Ascendancy to head towards our region of space, which cannot be a coincidence._ ” Bwau’tu analytically said as he rubbed his goatee in deep thought.

 

“ _Fifty credits says that Krayt is calling in all of his allies and agents for an ambush of our forces, which are stretched pretty thin due to our covering all of the entry points of the Horuset System._ ” Han Solo, one of the surviving Heroes of Yavin, captain of the _Millennium Falcon_ , husband of Leia Organa Solo, and father of Jaina Solo Fel, said, speaking up for the first time during this meeting.

 

“I hate to say it, but Solo may be on to something here.” Boba said in concurrence, with Voort nodding his head in agreement, before the former continued, saying, “Look at the facts, the Neo Death Watch fleet can’t surrender because, judging from the one Star Destroyer and Fang Fighter squadron that tried to surrender, they’ve got explosives rigged across each of ships that will detonate if anyone tries to surrender, and have us on a wild bantha chase, which could leave us vulnerable to an ambush.”

 

“ _I agree with both of you. So what do you propose, as I am open to suggestions on to blunt this possible incursion?_ ” Bwua’tu asked as he spoke with respect towards the former smuggling captain and Mandalorian.

 

“Recall the bulk of your ships and fighters to focus on blockading Korriban, and leave just enough men and ships to blunt any forces that may come until the larger and more powerful capital ships can come and destroy any additional potential enemies. That should give us more time to take out Krayt and his lackeys without interference.” Boba said as if he had given the matter much thought, with everyone impressed by Boba’s tactical and strategic abilities.

 

As if he could read everyone’s thoughts, Bwua’tu said, “ _An excellent idea,_ Mand’alor _. I will give the order to redeploy our forces at once._ ”

 

“ _Well, now that that’s settled, can we get back to…_ ” Han said before he trailed off, looking to someone that no one present could see before he said, “ _Leia, find out who’s sending that transmission, and bounce it to Luke and the others._ ”

 

“ _Right, Han. Patching it through, now._ ” Said the voice of the strong but compassionate voice of Leia Organa Solo, and a few seconds later, a strong holographic image of Vestara Khai, as well as Garzeb Orrelios, Sabine Wren, and Adari Thayn Palpatine, which visibly shocked everyone present, Ben and Allana most of all.

 

Ben was so shocked by the appearance of his first and one true love, as well as how haggard she and the others looked, that all he could do was whisper “Ves.”

 

Han, however, was not so lost for words, and growled out, “ _Adari, What’s that traitorous smooka doing with the three of you?!? I thought that you would have been first- well, second, in line to kill her after what she had done to you and the rest of your people, as Ben and I’ve got first crack at her for what she had done to Allana and Barv- I mean Bazel, on Coruscant all of those years ago!_ ”

 

Vestara could only look down in shame upon remembering how she betrayed the Jedi Order, as well as Ben, who had given her his trust and heart for so long, during the Lost Tribe of the Sith’s Invasion of Coruscant, and had nearly gotten the bulk of the Solo family killed. It was then that the person who Vestara least expected to defend her did so, as Adari said, “ _Hold up, Han! Yeah, Vestara has committed many grave sins, and yes, a huge part of me would love to beat her senseless. But that won’t bring my people back from the dead, nor will it bring peace to the galaxy. Edaan is putting all of his trust in Vestara so we can save the galaxy, and I’ve learned to place my money where Edaan’s betting. And besides, it’s not up to you on whether or not Vestara lives, it’s up to the War Council as soon as this invasion’s over, and by then, she’ll have helped us finally eradicate this Sith scourge form the galaxy._ ”

 

“ _I hate to admit it, Captain Solo, but Vestara is truly regretting all of her past sins, and she’s in the same boat as we are right now. And more importantly, we need all of the manpower that we can muster if we’re going to stop Krayt and his lackeys._ ” Sabine said as Zeb simply nodded in confirmation of what Sabine and Adari were saying to the assembled leaders.

 

Before Han could utter a rebuttal, the gentle but firm voice of Allana said, “Grandpa Han, let’s let Vestara speak for in her defense before you repeat your pledge to kill her.”

 

Everyone was shocked speechless by Allana’s defense of the woman who tried to kill her nearly thirteen years ago, and Vestara hoarsely said, “ _Allana, why would you defend me after all that I’ve done to you and your family?_ ”

 

“I’m not doing it just for you, Vestara. I’m doing it to help Ben and Edaan, who each risked their lives to try and redeem you in one point of their lives. And, more importantly, we’re going to need all of the help that we can get if we’re going to destroy the One Sith.” Allana stoically said.

 

“ _Well, at least you’re honest, Allana, so I have to give you points for brutal honesty._ ” Vestara sheepishly said with a small smile on her face before she took a deep breath and began to speak seriously, earnestly saying, “ _Look, I know that you have absolutely no reason to trust me, and I deserve whatever fate that the Shadow Alliance will have in store for me when we win this war, but I want to try and fix some of the damage that I caused after I betrayed and abandoned Ben and the Jedi Order. And Ben, if would have me, I would want to be a part of your life again.”_

 

Ben did not know what to say to say to Vestara, as wanted to believe her, and she seemed to be sincere in her words, but he knew how deceptive Vestara could be if she put her mind to it. He then realized a risky way to see if Vestara was telling the truth about her change of heart, and said, “Ves, if you make it back to us, then I want to talk to you onboard the _Second Chance_ to determine if you are really remorseful over what you’ve done while you were a Sith Lady.”

 

“ _The_ Second Chance _? Ben, what are you…_ ” Vestara began to say before she caught the hopeful look in Ben’s eyes, and immediately understood the implications of what he was suggesting. She then said, “ _All right. On the_ Second Chance _it is. We’ll see you all soon. We just have to get past an army of Sith beasts, Neo Death Watch forces, and members of the One Sith order._ ”

 

“Well, at least you’re optimistic about your odds of survival.” Leia humorously said, earning an amused smile from Vestara and the others.

 

However, just as Vestara and the other three leaders of the escapees were about to end their transmission, another call came in to reveal a hologram of a giant man encased in Sith armor and a heavily gray-bearded man in extremely worn Jedi robes, which Vestara and Adari instantly recognized, and exuberantly shouted, “ _Edaan!_ ”

 

“Wait, _that’s_ Edaan?!?” Ben horrifically said as he looked to see the giant take off his mask to reveal a twisted and pulled back face, and black sclera and blue eyes, which made everyone recoil in disgust, and Ben then horrifically said, “Edaan, what has Krayt done to you?!?”

 

“ _He tried to turn me into the leader of his elite Sith Troopers, but it backfired due to Tau’s help, and now I’m physically stronger than ever._ ” Edaan honestly said before he continued, saying, “ _And, before we lose track of why we contacted you, Master X2, show our prisoners to their future interrogators._ ”

 

 _“Right away, Edaan. Oh, but first, Captain Solo, Master Skywalker, it’s good to see the two of you again_.” X2 said in gratitude before he turned the holoprojector to face Chelli Lona Aphra, Nala Se, Triple Zero, an Iskalloni male, a Yuuzhan Vong female, Jaden Korr, a calmed Tuk’ata, and a person that could only be Edaan’s Iteration, Tau Palpatine.

 

“Edaan, how in the name of the Force did you and the others manage to tame a Tuk’ata hound?!?” K’Kruhk astonishingly asked, speaking up for the first time during this meeting.

 

“ _By infusing a portion of my life force into Butch, that’s how, Master K’Kruhk._ ” Edaan simply answered, which astounded everyone. They were speechless for ten whole seconds before Edaan spoke again, saying, “ _Uh_ _… aren’t you guys curious about who these prisoners are?_ ”

 

“Right, sorry.” Ben said after getting his bearings back in order, and motioned for Edaan to continue, saying, “Go ahead, Edaan.”

 

“ _Anyway,_ ” Edaan began, referring to the Yuuzhan Vong female, saying, “ _This is Master Shaper Talleth Qua, and Cyberneticist Wantos Myyric. And I believe that many of you are acquainted with Triple Zero, Chelli Lona Aphra, and Nala Se. Tau and I managed to take them prisoner in their cloning labs, as well as rescue Butch, Jaden, and X2 from captivity. We’re on our way to the surface of Korriban, where we need a pickup from Atai and Artoo on the Second Chance, so you’d better get them ready for an extraction._ ”

 

“ _I’ll let them know about this development. And I imagine that those two will be happy to see all of their friends alive and well._ ” Han said.

 

“ _Well, that’s not entirely true._ ” Adari said as her voice began to crack, and she continued to speak, tears beginning saying, “ _Vua is dead, killed by a Sith Lord during our first capture in the catacombs beneath the Tomb of Tulak Hord._ ”

 

After a moment of silence in respect for their fallen comrade, Boba said, “Well, I know that Goran will miss him, as the two of them became good friends during the Defense of Mandalore. But, getting back on track, do you know who the Sith Lord who killed Vua is?”

 

“ _I do._ ” X2 suddenly said before he continued, saying, “ _The Sith Lord is called Darth See-Chok, and he has prosthetic hands and prefers hand-to-hand combat and uses the Force to amplify his punches and jabs to the extent that Vua’s heart exploded, killing him within seconds._ ”

 

“Wait a second, X2. Prosthetic hands? Before he joined the One Sith, was his name Shon-Ju?” K’Kruhk suddenly asked as he remembered a long-forgotten battle from the middle of the Clone War.

 

“ _Yes. He loved to gloat to me and the other prisoners about his past, and how he believed that the old Jedi Order was so unfair to him when they banished him a few years before the Clone War commenced because he only focused on the physical applications of the Force. He then went on to form his own Force-sensitive school, and later tried to sabotage Aayla Secura’s efforts to dismantle a war profiteer’s operations around the beginning of the third year of the Clone War, where he lost his hands in a battle with Aayla, and he vanished ever since. He must have taken his students to the dark corners of the galaxy, and they fell to the Dark Side and eventually joined the One Sith._ ” X2 explained to everyone present.

 

“Well, at least we now have a better idea of who our enemy is.” Voort helpfully said.

 

“ _Anyway…_ ” Han said, trying to get this brief meeting back on track, saying, “ _We need to get going, because the invasion of Dreshdae is about to begin, and the Falcon needs to be in the air in the next twenty minutes. May the Force be with you all, even you, Fett._ ” With those words said, Han and Leia’s holograms vanished from the meeting, and that left the other fighters to plan the Shadow Alliance’s next move on the ground.

 

“ _Han has a point. We’ve all got to get moving if we’re going to make it to the surface soon, so good luck with invading Dreshdae. Oh, and before I forget, Chopper managed to get a highly encrypted set of the coordinates of every Sith Lord during our invasion, so we’ll need an extraction once we reach the surface._ ” Adari said, getting everyone’s attention.

 

“Well, in that case, I’ll come with Wraith Squadron in the _Specter_ , arrive at the entrance in six hours, and have a set of decryption gear on hand so we can get started on those sets of coordinates.” Voort helpfully said.

 

“ _Good. Signing off._ ” Zeb said before the four ex-prisoners motioned for something beyond the others sight to cut the holocomm, and they disappeared from the meeting.

 

“ _The ten of us better get going as well, as we don’t want to keep Atai and Artoo waiting. Oh, and you’d better bring a squad of guards and interrogators on the Second Chance, because you’re really going to need them._ ” Edaan said before he turned off the holocomm that was in his hand, leaving the ten warriors and Bwua’tu alone.

 

“Well, this has been an interesting meeting.” Bwua’tu said before he continued, saying, “ _But, I’d better get back to managing the massive Shadow Alliance fleet that’s in this system, so, May the Force be with you all in the days to come._ ” With those final words said, the Bothan Supreme Commander cut the holocall, which left the ten fighters alone to prepare for the invasion of Dreshdae.

 

_Thirty Minutes Later, In The One Sith’_ _s Citadel_

_Within Darth Krayt’s Chambers_

“My lord, Edaan Palpatine and the former prisoners have escaped the Citadel 0-0-0, Doctors Aphra, Nala Se, Wantos Myyric, and Master Shaper Talleth Qua, and are making their way to the surface of Korriban. They are delivering significant casualties to our forces, and, according to the transmissions that we intercepted, they have downloaded vital information about the deployment of our forces, as well as intelligence on all of our experiments and capabilities. If they managed to get the information about your true plans, they might be able to destroy us.” Darth Wyyrlok said with a hint of grave concern in his voice as he spoke.

 

“Calm yourself, Wyyrlok. All of the information about our true plans is within the minds of Lord Snoke, you, Sorzus, the twenty Sith Sorcerers involved in the two rituals, and myself. Also, the information can only be accessed from my personal holocron, which is on my person at all times. The intelligence that they will discover will only draw them into the citadel all the quicker, which will only serve my plans. Now, how go the transfer of all of the captured Jedi and Sith artifacts, as well as all of the children, on to the transports?” Krayt countered before he asked his question.

 

“Well ahead of schedule, master. We have evacuated sixty percent of the artifacts and children on to the evacuation transports, and the rituals will be ready within the next three days.” Wyyrlok said as he looked at a datapad that he was carrying.

 

“Excellent. In a handful of hours, Wyyrlok, we will join the battle, and wreak havoc among the Shadow Alliance’s ranks. They will never know what hit them.” Krayt said with complete certainty as he maliciously smiled and left his chambers, with Wyyrlok in close pursuit.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on the fifth chapter of my sixth story. So, before you say anything, let me clarify a few things: The captured Jedi artifacts belonged to Grakkus the Hutt, a “** **Canon** **” character in the Star Wars universe that I was able to coopt into my head canon, and I am now including the children because I didn’t see a need for them to be mentioned until now. And now I have two rituals going on right now, one from the original Dark Horse comic books, and one from my own imagination. I can’t wait to see your reactions once I enact my plans. Oh, and, I hope that you guys figured out the implications of what I have in mind for Vestara and Ben. Don’t worry, I plan to make it as detailed as I can be, as I want this M-rating for this story for many reasons. Oh, and, as of now, I have written over nineteen thousand words in this story so far. Soon enough, I’ll be over 20,000 words, and this story’s only just begun. Well, what did you guys think of my chapter, and be honest, as I value your input. I guess that that’s it for today, which is May 1, 2017. May the Force Be With You, and Lone Live the Expanded Universe!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Well, good morning, all of my friends and followers. How are you all doing on this fine morning of May 3, 2017? I am well, but quite tired, as I only got about nine hours of sleep last night. Anyway, I am sorry that I did not get started on the sixth chapter of this story yesterday, but I had homework and a job to worry about. So, what have you all been up to, as I just ordered a bunch of Tolkien books set in the world of Middle-Earth, an encyclopedia about the universe of _The Lord of the Rings_ , a book about J.R.R. Tolkien and his interpretation of the Bible and the Kingdom of Heaven, and a couple of Star Wars video game strategy guides. I can’t wait for those books to come, as I love adding good books to my ever-expanding collection of books. So, how have you guys been enjoying my final story of the ** **_Jedi Odyssey_ ** **saga? Feel free to review or send me an email, as I value your feedback. Anyway, how are you guys doing on _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ , as I am almost ready to begin Mission 5, since I’ve just completed Peebee’s loyalty quest, and am ready to head back to Elaaden in order to get Primus’s help, even if I have no intention of using it in the final mission. Well, I guess that that’s it for the author’s note for today, so I’d better get started on my chapter. Whatever I decide to write, I promise you guys that this chapter will be amazing. May the Force be with me as I write.**

**(2:07 PM and 5:30 PM Addendum.) Hello, everyone! Sorry to add the first addendum to this story, but I had to share some news with you guys. As of the last thirty minutes, I bought the first issue of** **_Injustice 2_ ** **, and boy, is it a great start-off to the prequel comic of the next part of the** **_Injustice_ ** **saga. Oh, and, as of now, three of the six orders that I ordered earlier today have been shipped. Isn’t that fast service or what? One more thing. Today I have started _All The Gallant Men: The First Memoir By A USS Arizona survivor: By: Donald Stratton_. So far, I’ve finished three chapters, and am up to the chapter where the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. It’s quite an enjoyable story, I highly recommend it to any fan of US History. Well, back to the story. Oh, before I forget, there are two things that I want to discuss. First off, I plan to have the Sith Mediation Sphere known as Ship appear in this story in a huge way that will allow Vestara to grow into a better person. Second, this chapter will detail what happens to Jaden Korr’s Iteration through the use of flashbacks, which is something that I have not done before. Well, wish my luck. **

**(May 4, 2017 Addendum.) Happy May 4 th, everybody! So, how is everyone doing on “May the Fourth Be With You”? I am doing well, as I have mowed my parents’ lawn, have gotten a good grade on the start of my final project on my online class, and I am about to write a whole lot of words in this chapter today. Unfortunately, I am still very angry and despondent over the destruction of the Expanded Universe over three years ago, as I imagine that many of you still are. Oh, and, as of now, all but one of my orders has shipped, which makes me so giddy for more Tolkien and Star Wars EU books. So. While I have your attention, what movies do you want to see this summer, as I want to see ** **_Wonder Woman_ ** **, _Transformers: The Last Knight_ , and _Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales_? Go on, tell me, as I would very much like to know. **

****

_Four Hours Later, Outside the Tomb of Tulak Hord_

_Onboard the_ Second Chance

Atai Molec, governor of the free world of Zygerria, was impatiently awaiting the arrival of his longtime friend and leader, Edaan Palpatine, along with his allies and their prisoners that they had managed to take captive from within Darth Krayt’s citadel.

 

He was so lost in his reflection of all of the adventures that Edaan had led him into, that he barely heard R2-D2, the legendary astromech droid that had served the Skywalker and Solo families for over seventy years, most of those years alongside the protocol droid known as C-3PO, the latter of which was currently aiding Han and Leia Organa Solo on board the _Millennium Falcon_ , roll into the room and beep several times to get Atai’s attention, who then jumped in shock from being so caught up him his thoughts. He then said, “Man, Artoo, you nearly gave me a heart attack! What is it?”

 

Artoo then spoke in droidspeak for several moments, and Atai’s eyes immediately widened upon hearing this information, and said, “Edaan and the others are five minutes away from this position? Well, why didn’t you say something earlier, buddy?” Artoo then angrily shocked Atai and then continued to speak, embarrassing the Zygerrian, who then sheepishly said, “Oh. You’ve been trying to get my attention for the past ten minutes. Heh. My bad.” He then set to work on activating the Corellian Engineering Corporation YT-1300 Light Freighter’s systems in order to prepare for a quick getaway, as Wraith Squadron’s personal shuttle, the heavily modified and weaponized SoroSuub Corporation Luxury 5000 Yacht that was known as the _Specter_ , had to help Adari, Vestara, Sabine, Mirta, Zeb, and the other escaped prisoners from Darth Krayt’s citadel, fight off many bands of Sith Lords and Ladies, the One Sith’s secular forces, and various Sith beasts such as tuk’atas, terentateks, shyracks, hssisses, and wraids.

 

“Here they come!” Atai said as he saw the man that must be Tau Palpatine leading Chelli Lona Aphra out of the entrance to the tomb of Tulak Hord, with a Yuuzhan Vong female coming up next with X2, an Iskalloni male then coming up with Jaden Korr, the black assassin droid known as Triple Zero, exiting the tomb with a tuk’ata hound trailing behind him that could only be Butch, Edaan’s tuk’ata that he somehow managed to tame, and finally, the demented Kaminoan cloner Nala Se, with a heavily armored man pushing her forward that, according to the briefings that Atai had received, was none other than his old friend, Edaan Palpatine.

 

However, trouble arose as quickly as hope for a quick exit faded from Atai’s mind since they were being pursued by a dozen Sith of various species, and the Sith were quickly catching up with the remaining escapees and their captives.

 

Knowing what had to be done, Atai quickly told Artoo, “Alright buddy. Time to activate the antipersonnel cannons and open the docking ramp, because our friends aren’t going to have much of an opening to get onboard.”

 

The loyal astromech droid then hurried to comply with the orders, heading to a droid plugin port to open the docking ramp and activate the cannons and turrets, while Atai activated the _Second Chance_ ’s engines in order to prepare for a hasty getaway.

 

In a matter of moments, the CEC YT-1300 Light Freighter’s antipersonnel cannons started firing near the Sith’s positons in order to scatter them, while the turrets began firing off precision blasts of concentrated energy at the entrance in order to deter any further pursuers. Despite powerful blasts of force lightning, the _Second Chance_ ’s deflector shields managed to hold by a tiny margin, and Edaan, the four other warriors, and their prisoners, managed to get onboard the ship as it began to hover off of the ground, and quickly bolted away from the tomb’s entrance, and headed into the planet’s desert, where they would head to the Shadow Alliance’s main camp in the deserts of Korriban that were near the city of Dreshdae in order to drop off their prisoners for the interrogators to begin questioning them for any information they had on Darth Krayt’s plans.

 

_Thirty Minutes Later_

_Just Outside the Shadow Alliance’s Forward Camp_

_0.4 Kilometers From the City of Dreshdae_

As the _Second Chance_ began its landing procedures for the Shadow Alliance’s camp, Edaan and Tau left the main hall to converse with Artoo and Atai, who were in the ship’s cockpit.

 

Once the two brothers entered the cockpit, Artoo greeted the two brothers by joyously speaking in droidspeak and whirling his head around, which greatly amused Edaan and Tau, the former of the two saying, “Yeah, it’s good to see you too, buddy. I missed you. And you too, Atai. It’s good to see that the two of you made it back to Mandalore, before you came here, that is.”

 

“It’s good to see you too, Edaan, and in good health. Relatively speaking, of course, given your physical transformation.” Atai hesitatingly said, not wanting to upset his longtime friend over his great trials while a captive of the One Sith. After receiving a warm chuckle from Edaan, he smiled in relief, turned to face Tau, and said, “And this must be the famous Tau Palpatine, the genetic brother of my good friend Edaan who defected from the One Sith to join us in the final battle against them and their minions.” After taking a moment to appraise the young clone, Atai warmly smiled, offered his hand to Tau to shake, and said, “A pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Edaan’s is a friend of mine.”

 

After a moment’s hesitation, Tau took the hand that Atai offered, firmly shook it, and said, “I appreciate that. It’s not often that an exact clone of an individual is received with such acceptance. Then again, there haven’t been many Iterations out there in the galaxy. As far as I know, there are only a couple others in existence, including the ones that were created to try and take Jaden Korr’s place in the Jedi Order for the One Sith.”

 

“Yeah, I heard about that, Tau. Let’s hope that Adari and the others managed to kill the Iteration of Jaden, or we’ll all be in deep _poodoo_.” Atai gravely said, with Edaan and Tau nodding in agreement.

 

With that said, Artoo began warbling again, getting everyone’s attention, as he had pointed out that the Second Chance had landed in the camp, and the requested interrogators were ready to take custody of the captive prisoners.

 

_Five Minutes Later_

 

“So, am I correct to assume that these five… vile criminals… are the prisoners that you told us about, Jedi Palpatine?” The lead interrogator, a diminutive male Chandra-Fan that went by the name of Kole, squeakily said.

 

“That is correct, Kole.” Edaan said, knowing the man’s name only by the nametag on his black jacket. He then warned Kole about Triple Zero by saying, “They’re all very dangerous, especially Triple Zero, the black protocol droid, as he has several concealed weapons within his design, and so I’d especially tread carefully with him.”

 

“Thank you for the warning, Jedi Palpatine, but you do not need to worry, as I was named the head of the Shadow Alliance’s interrogators for a good reason, and, with the help of my subordinates, we will get the intelligence that we need from them, one way or another.” Kole said with complete certainty as he motioned for the Fel Empire Stormtroopers that were accompanying him to take custody of the prisoners, and he then turned his head to face the Keshiri woman that was standing about thirty feet away from the two of them. “I believe that your wife wants to speak with you, Jedi Palpatine, so I will leave you two alone.”

 

“Thank you, Kole.” Edaan gratefully said before he turned to nod to Artoo, Atai, Butch, Jaden, Tau, and X2, and said, “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to talk to Adari. I’ll see you guys later.” With that, he left his six friends, only to find that Butch was loyally following his master, which made Edaan smile in amusement as he rolled his eyes, and then said, “Okay, okay, Butch, you can follow me. Just keep quiet while I speak with my wife. Okay?”

 

In response to Butch’s nod of understanding, Edaan resumed walking towards his wife, who began to brusquely walk to him, and the two quickly met in the middle of the staging area with an awkward smile on each of their faces before Adari motioned for him to follow her.

 

The married couple then made their way towards the barracks, where they were greeted by a joyous Akku Sei II, Artoo, Atai, Jarael, and Robonino in one of the rooms for senior officers. They crowded around the cyborg Jedi Knight and surrounded him in a 360-degree hug.

  
“Okay, guys, enough. This is embarrassing.” Edaan embarrassingly said as his twisted cheeks blushed a slight shade of red. “Please let go.”

 

Soon enough, each of his remaining teammates let go of Edaan, and stopped surrounding him. Robonino then said, “Sorry, old friend. We’re just so relieved that you’re alive and well. When we were escaping Korriban’s tombs, Adari would not stop worrying about you. You were all that she was talking about, which shows just how much you mean to her.”

 

“And she means the galaxy to me.” Edaan said as he took Adari’s hand in his hand before he continued, saying, “When I was forced to battle Tau in Krayt’s arena, it greatly pained my heart to know that Adari and the rest of you were watching my barbaric act in order to keep my cover alive, because I made you all think that I was lost to the Dark Side. But,” Edaan then looked into Adari’s eyes, cupped the Keshiri’s cheeks with his hands, and then said, “you, Adari Thayn Palpatine, was the reason that I kept going, because I wanted to see you again, and tell you that I love you with all of my heart.”

 

“I love you too, Edaan Palpatine.” Adari whole-heartedly said as the two lovers moved in to kiss each other with as much passion and love as they could muster. Their kiss lasted for twenty whole seconds before their lips parted for much-needed breath.

 

The four warriors, even the usually stoic Anzati Mandalorian captain, that were watching the couple show their love for each other quickly gushed simultaneous “Aws”, which embarrassed the wedded couple, as they each blushed a furious color of red.

 

Looking to change to subject, and to stop being the center of attention, Edaan said, “Are you guys okay? I know that being a guest of the Sith’s version of hospitality was beyond excruciating for me, so I can’t imagine what it was like for all of you.”

 

“Don’t worry about us, Edaan. Compared to what you went through, our stay was compared to staying in a ratty old ship.” Jarael said.

 

“Good. Are the others okay? How many friends did we lose during your escape?” Edaan said, getting back to the bigger picture.

 

“Well, boss, we lost two Lasats, four Mandalorians, six of the One Sith’s original prisoners, and an Iridonian Zabrak prisoner that went by the name of Jesse Willsam. The latter was the self-appointed leader of the prisoners, and he sacrificed his life to ensure that his fellow inmates escaped that hellhole of a prison.” Robonino despondently said as he recalled how the Sith’s forces, especially the Iteration of Jaden Korr, butchered their dead comrades.

 

Upon sensing a glimpse of the memories from his Patrolian friend, Edaan asked, “How did you guys kill Jaden Korr’s Iteration, as I imagine that it wasn’t a walk in the park?”

 

“Well, it wasn’t easy, luv.” Adari said as she recalled with vivid clarity the moment that the Iteration ran into the escaping prisoners within the catacombs of Korriban.

 

_210 Minutes Earlier_

_Deep Within the Catacombs Below the Tomb of Tulak Hord_

_Vestara was finishing off a tuk’ata hound when Zeb said, “Hey, Vestara! Bogey inbound at six o’clock!”_

_Upon hearing the warning from the Lira San Navy Supreme Commander, Vestara turned around to face what appeared to be Jaden Korr. At first, she began to lower her lightsaber. But, immediately remembering the warning that Adari received from the telepathic communication with Edaan, Vestara raised her lightsaber in the man’s direction, and said in a tone that would brook no argument, “Stop! If you come any closer, I’ll take your head off.”_

_“Vestara? What are you doing?” The man who looked exactly like Jaden Korr said as he activated Jaden’s yellow-colored lightsaber, and raised it in a Soresu position, with Zeb, Adari, Seelah, Akku, Robonino, and Jesse raising their weapons in preparation for yet another engagement with the One Sith._

_“I think that the better question is, what are you doing with Jaden Korr’s lightsaber, Iteration?” Vestara said with a great intensity._

_Upon realizing that his cover was blown, the Iteration snarled in the Sith language, and lunged at the Shadow Alliance members with Jaden’s lightsaber in one hand, and simultaneously preparing an attack of Force Lightning in the other hand._

_Before he could successfully land a blow on any of his enemies, he was blasted in the left shoulder by a precision blast from Zeb’s Lasan Honor Guard bo-rifle, which caused him to drop his lightsaber from the agonizing spike in pain that he experienced. He still managed to launch a powerful assault of Force Lightning in the general direction of where the Shadow Alliance forces were located at, which every person was able to nimbly avoid._

_“I’m going to enjoy ripping out all of your throats with my bare hands, you filthy Jedi lovers!” The Iteration snarled out through his gritted teeth._

_“That implies that you will beat us, you imposter.” Seelah countered as she, Vestara, Zeb, Adari, Akku, and Jesse charged at the Iteration, with the clone putting Jaden’s lightsaber in his right hand, and narrowly managed to parry each of their saber-wielding enemies’ blows, while being punched and jabbed at various locations on his body by Adari and Zeb, which slowly wore him down over the next ten minutes, until he dropped his stolen lightsaber from the pain and exhaustion, and was backed into a corner by his six adversaries._

_Upon realizing that he could not escape his adversaries, the Iteration decided to change tactics, and used all of his remaining strength to cause the entire ceiling to crack, and then begin to fall beside the Shadow Alliance fighters. Jesse Willsam, realizing what the Iteration was up to, summoned all of his strength through the Force to push everyone to safety, just as a stalactite crushed him, leaving nothing but a mess of blood on the ground while the five surviving combatants stared in horror upon seeing the bloody remains of their newfound comrade, not at all noticing the Iteration being crushed by a giant boulder that fell on top of him._

_After a few moments of blank staring, Sabine shook herself out of her reverie and said, “G-guys, we’d better get moving, as the Sith will be sending reinforcements soon enough to continue pursuing us, and we don’t want to be here when they find.” The four remaining Shadow Alliance members recovered from their shock, nodded in agreement, and quickly moved to continue leading their allies to the surface, where Wraith Squadron’s_ Specter _would be waiting for them, but not before Vestara grabbed Jaden’s lightsaber in order to give it to him when she met him again._

_The Present_

“Damn. It’s a shame about Jesse. I thought that he was pretty decent guy, and for Force’s sake, I barely knew the guy.” Edaan sadly said as he shook his head in remorse.

 

“I know, boss. He was actually a decent conversationalist, once you got to know him. And boy, did we get to know him when we were imprisoned.” Robonino replied with sorrow lacing his voice as he spoke.

 

“Anyway, what’s our next move, as I know that the Shadow Alliance needs us in the front lines, as we know the layout of the catacombs and Darth Krayt’s citadel?” Edaan said, getting back to business.

 

“Actually, Edaan, we’ve been given two days to recuperate from our long stay in Krayt’s dungeons.” Adari said before she continued, saying, “The Shadow Alliance is currently making great headway in taking the city of Dreshdae, and they will want to debrief us about the catacombs and Krayt’s citadel during our two days of recovery.” She then seductively said, “Oh, I can’t wait to spend two whole days with my hubby. Just the two of us for the majority of the time, Oh, I can’t wait to see what the Force has in store for us, luv.”

 

“Adari, please!! If you’re going to proposition me, at least wait until we’re alone. Our friends are watching us.” Edaan embarrassingly said as he felt several leers coming his way from his shipmates.

 

“Oh, let them watch. At least they won’t see us in bed, my love.” Adari joyously said as she caressed Edaan’s warped face.

 

“Uh… Adari, in case you’ve forgotten, the _Second Chance_ is about to be taken for a little while by Ben and Ves, as they’ve got some issues to talk and work out.” Edaan quickly said in order to avoid further embarrassment from his wife.

 

“Okay? But how long could they need to…” Adari said as she trailed off due to realization emerging in her mind, and showing itself on her face. She looked to Edaan and said, “Edaan, please tell me that it doesn’t mean what I think it means.”

 

“Sorry, luv, but it’s true. Ben and Vestara are, if I’m right, about to make love.” Edaan said with dead certainty as everyone else’s jaws fell agape, or, in the case of Artoo, his began warbling in a loud and shocked manner.

 

**Well, that ends the sixth chapter of my final story! What did you guys think of the end surprise, as I imagine that it was quite a shock for most of you who didn’t figure that out? Don’t worry, I’m going to make it as vivid as I can, as I enjoy a good lovemaking scene between a man and a woman who truly love each other. I’m even going to have Powerslammer review the chapter before I post it, just to make sure that it is perfect. Speaking of Powerslammer, as of this morning, his greatest story yet, _Rajmael of Clan Lavellan_ , has been updated, and boy, does it reveal a lot about Aedan Cousland. I can’t wait to learn more about his versions of Hawke and Rajmael. Anyway, how are all of you doing on the evening of May 6, 2017, as I imagine that most of you saw _Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2_ today, yesterday, or Thursday night? Well, I didn’t, because it just isn’t the kind of movie that I typically watch. Oh, and, as of now, I’ve surpassed twenty-three thousand words in this story so far, and it’s almost been a month, which means that I’m right on schedule. By the way, speaking of fanfiction, a great Star Wars Expanded Universe AU fanfiction was posted a couple of days ago, and it is called _Star Wars: Legacy of Solo_. It was written by Ridar Paladin, and it features Anakin Solo, which is set during the Legacy comics. I can’t wait to see what happens next in that story. One more thing, I am sorry of making the escape from the catacombs a bit quick, but I didn’t want to get bogged down in the escape attempt. I hope that you all understand. Well, I guess that that’s it for today. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Good morning, Star Wars enthusiasts of all kinds! How are you doing on May 7, 2017? I am alright, but I am more than a little tired right now for reasons that elude me, as I got a little over nine hours of sleep last night, and had a hearty breakfast earlier. So, what have you guys been up to since I last heard from you? I’ve been eagerly awaiting the arrival of my previously mentioned deliveries from online, as I can’t wait to add those books to my collection. I’ve also done some homework for my online class, and am almost done with both of my courses for the spring semester. After this, I get a couple of weeks off from school before my summer course begins. Anyway, what books are all of you reading right now, as I’m still on _All The Gallant Men: The First Memoir By A USS Arizona survivor: By: Donald Stratton_. It’s quite an enjoyable read. Well, I’d better get started on the next chapter of my story, as I’ve got a myriad of ideas in my head as to how I want the Ben and Vestara lovemaking scene to proceed, which will more than likely be quite saucy, if I’m using that word correctly. Oh, and don’t worry, I’ll include everyone’s reactions to it, ranging from Han and Leia Organa Solo, to everyone in Edaan’s crew, and to Luke Skywalker and Allana Solo. Their reactions will be priceless!! Well, time to write!**

**(May 9, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everyone. How are you doing on this warm day? I am well beyond ecstatic right now, because yesterday, I got one of my two strategy guides in the mail, and two of my favorite fanfictions were updated, Squasher’s _Unexpected Jedi_ , and Iron117Prime’s _Worlds Collide_. And, as of today, Lord Exar Kun updated his Star Wars  & Lord of the Rings crossover, _The Arda Campaign_. I have to say that all of these chapters are masterpieces, and they have me dying for more of all of my favorite fanfictions. Well, I’m almost done with school for the spring semester, and I worked hard at my job today, so I’ve been pretty busy today. Anyway, now I’ve got time for writing, so I’d better get started.) **

****

_Meanwhile, Onboard the Second Chance_

As Vestara walked into Edaan’s personal ship, she felt a wave of fear and anxiety overtake her. What if Ben rejected her and didn’t want anything to do with her over all of the pain and heartbreak that she caused for him over the last thirteen years? Deciding to place her trust in the Force, she took a deep breath to steady her frazzled nerves, and walked inside the CEC YT-1300 Light Freighter, where her one true love awaited her.

 

After entering the ship, she saw Ben sitting by the dejarik table, playing a very intense game against an R9 astromech droid that Vestara assumed to be his personal droid. She decided to patiently wait for the game to end, which took about fifteen minutes, with the R9 droid claiming victory over the Jedi Master. Once the game ended, Ben, after sighing in defeat, turned to face Vestara, and apologetically said, “Sorry for the wait, Ves, but I wanted to finish the game with R9-G6, as he does not like to leave anything unfinished.”

 

“Don’t worry about it, Ben. I was more than willing to watch Arnine beat the snot out of you in a dejarik game.” Ves amusingly said as she felt her heart flutter upon hearing Ben call her by his nickname for her. She then became nervous, as she had a very strong suspicion of what Ben had in mind for their “discussion.” She slowly said, “So, here we are, all but alone on the _Second Chance_ , with only Arnine to keep us company.”

 

“Don’t worry, Ves. Arnine, go into the cargo hold, and then enter standby mode for the next sixteen hours.” Ben ordered Arnine, who then rolled away to perform his friend’s orders. As soon as Arnine was out of hearing range, Ben turned to face Vestara, and earnestly said, “Ves, can you follow me, please?”

 

Not wanting to anger or upset the man that she loved with all of her heart, Vestara nodded her head, and turned to follow him as he got up. The two Force Users quickly made their way to the private bedroom that Edaan and Adari shared, and sat down on the bed, where Vestara sensed the echoes of love between Edaan and Adari that resonated through the Force.

“Okay. Here we are, in what I’m assuming is Edaan and Adari’s personal bedroom. Ben, just why did you bring me-” Vestara began to say before Ben fiercely brought his lips against Vestara’s, and her question died on her lips as she allowed her repressed feelings of love and sorrow to bubble to the surface of her psyche, and she then sighed as she wrapped her arms around Ben’s neck.

 

Their kiss lasted for twenty seconds before the two reunited lovers’ lips parted to get their breath back. After a few moments, Ben suddenly said, “Ves, I know why you left me and the Jedi.”

 

Vestara was put off guard by what Ben had just said, and said, “Ben, I-”

 

“Let me finish, Ves.” Ben interrupted before he continued, saying with complete sincerity, “Edaan figured out why you tried to kill Allana and the others, as well as why you killed Natua Wan. He investigated the truth, and realized that you did what you did on Coruscant in order to survive, as well as trying to save me from all but certain death from the Rhak-skuri on Upekzar. I just wanted you to know that I’m so sorry that I didn’t try to talk to you before I passed my judgment and hatred on you. I should have looked deeper into the matter, and I wish that I could take back all of the years I spent hunting you.”

 

“To be fair, Ben, I was a maniacal Sith Lady bent on taking over my people and waging war on the galaxy.” Vestara said in defense of the thirteen years that Ben spent hunting her. “But, thanks to your apprentice and his unorthodox methods, I’m back, and this time, I don’t plan on going anywhere but with you.”

 

“How did Edaan manage to redeem you, anyway? You’re just as stubborn as I am, and that’s saying something.” Ben asked, his curiosity now piqued at the mention of Edaan.

 

“Well, during our confrontation in Dreshdae, he showed me all of his memories, including how we met in the Jedi Temple of Coruscant before we went to Upekzar to hunt Abeloth, how he discovered that I left the Jedi Order and his denial of the truth, and how he met his five dead masters: Tau, Revan, Meetra Surik, Qui-Gon Jinn, and your cousin, Jacen.” Vestara said as she began to explain Edaan’s efforts to redeem her. She then continued, saying, “Later, after Edaan and his friends captured me and White Eyes, he connected my mind to his, and made me see two couples of Jedi and Sith that managed to marry and live together in harmony.”

 

After a moment to process this information, Ben said in skepticism, “I…Just who are these couples, Ves?”

 

“Well, the first one was a member of the renegade Jedi Covenant, Jelph Marrian, and a former Sith Saber of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, Orielle Kitai, who were around during the Jedi Civil War, and were also my ancestors.” Vestara explained in a nonchalant way, the information that she revealed caused Ben’s jaw to fall wide open.

 

“I’m sorry, Ves, I must have misheard you, because I could have sworn that you said that a Jedi Knight and Sith Saber from over four thousand years ago married and started a family.” Ben disbelievingly said.

 

“If you don’t believe me, then go into my memories, and see for yourself what Edaan showed me. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.” Vestara said, not at all offended by Ben’s lack of trust in her due to the years that he spent hunting her. Right after she said those words, she opened her mind through the Force, and felt Ben gently enter her memories, and he watched the conversation that Vestara had with Orielle, Jelph, Tau, and Revan.

 

_Meanwhile, in the Barracks_

 

“Edaan, pardon me for being so blunt, but ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR KARKING MIND?!?!?” Adari said as she shouted so loud that it nearly made everyone’s ears bleed from pain.

 

“Perhaps, luv. But don’t worry, this is all a part of my master plan to bring Ben and Ves back together.” Edaan said with complete certainty.

 

“I thought that you opposed premarital sex, boss.” Robonino said as he scratched his head in confusion of the situation.

 

“Indeed, as premarital sex is a leading cause of sexually-transmitted diseases. Not to mention that it goes against Keshiri traditions and customs.” Jarael said in her trademark professional tone.

 

“I am, guys, I am.” Edaan said in a reassuring tone before he continued, saying, “But, I’m willing to make an exception in this place, guys, given the severity of the situation, and because I think that it’s uber-romantic, given that a man and a woman who love each other very much are about to make love to each other.”

 

“Yeah, but…. You… She… They… AGH!!” Adari yelled as she threw up her arms in frustration in nor being able to come up with a decent retort to Edaan’s romantic talk. She then had an idea on how to stop what she perceived as madness, smiled wickedly, and then said in a conspiratorial, “Well, if you won’t stop this, then I guess I’ll have to get Ben’s family involved in this little discussion.” She then walked off to find the Skywalker and Solo family, with a shocked Edaan in hot pursuit in a vain effort to keep her from doing so, and with Artoo and the others following from a fair distance in order to avoid getting caught in-between the two lovers.

 

 _Meanwhile, in the_ Second Chance

 

Ben had just finished reading Vestara’s mind in order to hear her conversation with Orielle, Jelph, Revan, and the original Tau, and he could not even utter one word in response to what he had just heard.

 

Vestara was so amused by the usually energetic Jedi Master’s speechlessness that she said, “What’s the matter, Ben? The uvak got your tongue?”

 

Ben then amusingly said, “Really, Ves? ‘The uvak got your tongue?’ Is that the best insult that you can come up with? I guess that turning back to the Light Side has dulled your sense of humor.” Upon finishing that sentence, Ben felt the back of his head get mentally slapped by Vestara through an idle use of the Force. When he turned to face her, an innocent look crossed her face before she giggled at the silliness of it all.

 

After rolling his eyes at the lack of maturity that Vestara was displaying, Ben said, “So, did you have any other conversations with anyone else?”

 

“As a matter of fact, yes, I did, Ben.” Vestara said in matter-of-fact tone, and then opened her mind to the Force once again, and the same familiar sensation of Ben entering her mind, and searching for more memories to see, this time of the time when Edaan met the Force Spirits of Davin Hawkes, Lana Beniko Hawkes, and their daughter, Kira Marr Hawkes.

 

 _Concurrently, In the_ Millennium Falcon

 

“Edaan, did it ever occur to you that the Sith might have unhinged your brain when they tried to make you a Sith trooper?!?” Han growled out as Luke, Leia, Tenel Ka, Allana, and C-3PO stood in silence upon hearing what Adari had told them about what Ben and Vestara were likely doing at this moment.

 

Edaan, who was cowering in fear for his life from the former smuggler, said, “Well, to be fair, Captain Solo, it’s not like you didn’t have relations with unsavory characters before you met Leia, if I recall correctly.”

 

“He’s got you there, Han. You did have intimate relations with Salla Zend, Sana Starros, and Xaverri. ” Luke said as he recalled three of Han’s previous lovers, all of which he had met within the first fourteen years after the Battle of Yavin.

 

“Yeah, but this isn’t about me, or you, Callista, Akanah Norand Goss Pell, and Prithi.” Han countered as he listed three of Luke’s sexual encounters before he had married Mara Jade nineteen years after the Battle of Yavin.

 

“Okay, you two. Stop arguing like children. You’re acting like idiots.” Leia said as she scolded both her husband and brother. She then turned to Edaan, and then said, “Edaan, why do you want Ben and Vestara to have sex?”

 

“Personally, I prefer to use the term ‘make love’, as it’s a more romantic term than just ‘having sex’.” Edaan said in idle conversation before his expression on his face turned serious, and he said, “Look the reason is that I want Vestara to stay on the Light Side of the Force for good, and I want her and Ben to form a Force bond so that they can rely on each other when one is in danger. After all, Shae Koda and Tau formed a Force bond when they made love at the height of the First Force War.”

 

“But this isn’t the First Force War, Edaan. There’s a good chance that your plan could backfire in a variety of ways.” Tenel Ka said in her trademark serious tone.

 

“Yes, but, as you all know, history repeats, and I have faith that that includes good history.” Edaan earnestly said. He then continued, saying, “Look, I won’t ask for forgiveness, guys, but I only want your understanding. I need to believe that Vestara can come back from darkness, especially since I’ve invested the bulk of my life into saving the Dark Side.”

 

“I think that it’s romantic.” Allana said as she spoke for the first time during this meeting, which surprised everyone, especially Han. Upon seeing everyone’s reactions, she said, “What? If it helps Vestara stay on the Light Side, then I’m all for it. After all, she has a lot to atone for during her time as a Sith.”

 

“Well, at least you’re still cautious about Vestara, dear.” Leia said as she processed everything that her only granddaughter had just said. She then said, “Well, I guess that it’s out of our hands, now. All we can do is trust in the Force that Ben can look after himself, and have hope in Vestara that her conversion is for good this time.”

 

Luke, Tenel Ka, and Allana all nodded their heads in agreement, while Han, in his disbelief at the situation, threw his hands up in exasperation and exited the _Millennium_ _Falcon_.

 

“Han!” Leia called out, but to no avail, and then said, “I’ll go calm him down. He’ll come around.” She then left the ship in order to chase him down.

 

“All I can say is that I hope that you know what you’re doing, Edaan, because you’re gambling with a lot of lives.” Luke said as he left the ship, with Tenel Ka and Allana following closely behind him.

 

“Oh, why does no one ever let me talk anymore?” The golden protocol droid despondently said as he threw his arms up in annoyance. Artoo then beeped in a consoling manner to his longtime friend.

 

“Don’t worry, Threepio, you’ll have another chance to help us save the galaxy again soon enough, my friend.” Edaan compassionately said to the creation of Anakin Skywalker.

 

 _Back in the_ Second Chance

 

“Wow.” Ben said as he finished learning about Lana Beniko Hawkes, Davin Hawkes, and Kira Marr Hawkes from Vestara’s memories, and then said, “I guess that I was wrong. Jedi and Sith can find love.”

 

“Well, thanks to you and Edaan, I’m out of the Sith for good. And that means that we can finally be together.” Vestara said as her eyes betrayed a carnal hunger from deep within her core, and she suggestively grabbed Ben’s shoulder, sat on his lap, and she began to nibble on Ben’s right ear.

 

Getting into the sensual mood of the situation, Ben grabbed her by her shoulders and began to fiercely kiss her all over her face, with both lovers intensely moaning into the other’s ears as they gave into their immense love and desire for each other and began to rip each other’s clothes off with intense fervor.

 

During the stripping of each of their robes or prison garments, they opened their minds to each other through the Force, allowing them to begin the long process of forming a Force Bond.

 

Soon enough, they were in their undergarments, and they began to kiss each other on their exposed flesh, each gasping at the sensations that they were giving their partner.

 

“Have you ever done this before, Ben?” Vestara asked as she rubbed Ben’s shoulders and kissed Ben’s cheek.

 

“Once, with Seha Dorvald. How about you? Did you ever do this with anyone?” Ben idly said as he rubbed Vestara’s nipples through her black bra, causing her to moan with deep anticipation at what would soon occur.

 

“A few men. But they all had one problem: They weren’t you.” Vestara whispered through the incredible sensations that were coursing through her body.

 

“Funny, that’s exactly what I was thinking.” Ben said as he got to work on undoing the metal fastenings of Vestara’s bra. Soon enough, the bra was thrown somewhere in the room, and he set to work on worshiping the creamy skin of her luscious breasts, sucking and licking one nipple after another, all the while Vestara rubbed Ben’s growing member, both actions giving the other an incredible rush of pleasure.

 

Not being able to wait any longer for the true consummation to begin, Vestara tugged at Ben’s hair, bringing his head to her level, and earnestly said, “Ben, I can’t wait any longer. I _need_ you. In. Me. Right. Now.”

 

Merely nodding in response, he quickly removed his undershorts, while Vestara quickly took off her panties, leaving themselves bare for the other to see. Fortunately, neither being had any negative feelings inside them, as they wanted to make the next several hours memorable for each other.

 

“Ben?” Vestara softly asked, surprising Ben, as he had not heard her voice so quiet since her decision to become a Jedi after she had killed her own father, Gavar Khai.

 

“Yes, Ves?” Ben asked in equal gentleness.

 

“I love you, now and forever.” Vestara replied as tears of pure joy fell down her face after she spoke her heart and soul to her soulmate.

 

“And I love you, Ves.” Ben tearfully said as he leaned in to kiss her, as well as put her into position for their true lovemaking. And slowly, ever so slowly, Ben began to slide into her slick wet folds with his extended member, and Vestara wrapped her extremely toned legs around Ben’s hips as the pain slowly entered her body, along with a sensation that brought Vestara a sense of great euphoria. Once Ben was fully inside of her, she let out a cry of pain and joy, as she could finally be with Ben from now until the end of their lives.

 

 _Am I going too fast, Ves?_ Ben telepathically asked through their newly formed Force bond.

 

In response to the question, Vestara held Ben’s head in her hands, and she carnally growled out, “ _No. I need more._ ”

 

Happy that Vestara was enjoying herself, Ben said, “All right, then. Just remember, Ves, you asked for this.” Ben then began to slowly thrust in and out of Vestara’s clitoris, with Vestara whimpering in great pleasure as she savored every intimate moment with her one true love. Soon enough, both lovers began grunting as the pace of their lovemaking sped up, and, after about ten minutes of Ben thrusting in and out of his lover, both light siders experienced a climax that left both of them temporarily spent.

 

After a long while of enjoying their lovemaking, Ben said, “Ves? No matter what comes, promise me one thing.”

 

“Oh? What’s that, Ben?” Vestara idly asked as she smiled at her reunited lover.

 

“Stay true to who you are. The real you, as in the one I knew during our fight against Abeloth.” Ben said in all seriousness before he suddenly asked, “What are we going to do about Ship, as I imagine that he’ll be gunning for the both of us since you’ve returned to us?”

 

“I don’t know. But let’s worry about that tomorrow, my love. For now, let’s just make tonight wonderful, okay?” Vestara said, not in the mood for any serious talk.

 

“Okay.” Ben said in agreement, as this night was too precious to be wasted on talk about the invasion. “So…” Ben said as his hand moved down to Vestara’s thigh, and then said, “You want to go again?”

 

“OH, FORCE YES!!!” Vestara exuberantly said as she got on top of Ben this time, and prepared for another round of sex between the two of them.

 

_Meanwhile, in the Barracks_

 

“Well, judging from what I’m sensing from our ship, Ben and Vestara are having the time of their lives.” Edaan smugly said as he got ready for bed with his wife.

 

“Yeah. You must be so proud of yourself, Edaan.” Adari sneeringly said as she got into her nightclothes, as the couple knew that they would need all of their strength for their coming part in the final war.

 

“Oh, come on. Don’t tell me that you can’t appreciate a story about true love, dear.” Edaan mock-hurt said.

 

“It’s not that. I just don’t like how you went against your principles to bring them together, Edaan. I mean, I get why you did it, but I still don’t like it.” Adari said in order to explain herself to her beloved.

 

“That’s good, Adari. I need you to hold me accountable for my misdemeanors, or I could go off of the deep end.” Edaan said in complete seriousness before he kissed his wife goodnight, and the two lovers went to sleep, to enjoy their company before they prepared to enter the abyss for hopefully the last time.

 

**Well, that’s a wrap on the most beautiful and romantic chapter that I’ve ever written. So, tell me what you guys think, as I desperately need some constructive criticism. I hope that I did the lovemaking scene between Ben and Vestara justice, as it was the first in-depth sex scene that I’ve ever written. So, onto other exciting news: Are you guys aware that this is the last week before the hit video game,** **_Injustice 2_ ** **, is released on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and I can’t wait to play it. Speaking of great games, I am almost done with _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ , and I have to say that it was a great game. I also have to still complete ** **_Dragon Age: Origins: Ultimate Edition_ ** **and _The Witcher III: The Wild Hunt: Complete Edition_ , since I put those games on hold to play _Mass Effect: Andromeda_. Oh, and, I’m expecting a lot of good books to come today, so that’s a good plus. In addition, I’m going to finish my online class today, which is May 10, 2017, so I’ll only have one last test to take tomorrow for my other class. By the way, have you guys noticed a bit of a bug going on with fanfiction.net, as it isn’t letting me know that my favorite stories aren’t updated? One more thing, I am sorry if this chapter takes longer to update than expected, as I asked Squasher to take a look at this chapter in order to see if any improvements could be made to this chapter. Well, I hope you all have a good day. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	9. Chapter 8

**Hello, everyone! How are you doing on this great day of May 11, 2017? As you might have guessed by my latest adjective in my previous sentence, I am doing excellent, as two of my favorite fanfictions were updated within the last sixteen hours, and they are Iron117Prime’s _Worlds Collide_ , and DaWitcher’s _The Witcher: My Heart Will Always Recognize You_. Those stories are magnificent, and I can’t wait for the next update on each of my favorite fanfictions that are still being written. In addition, I bought _Injustice: Ground Zero #11_ today, and I saw _Star Wars: The Screaming Citadel #1_ and _Dragon Age: Knight Errant #1_ at my local comic book store. I have to say that those latter two comics were very intriguing, and I can’t wait to get the graphic novel collection of each miniseries. So, how goes all of your fanfiction writing, as mine is going swimmingly? I can’t wait to get to the gritty action and reveal all of Krayt’s plans and machinations, as well as how the Shadow Alliance deals with them. In the meantime, enjoy some much needed fluff and filler. Oh, and, as of now, I’ve written over twenty seven thousand words in this story alone, and it’s barely over a month. In addition, as of now, I’ve finished with my spring semester classes, and am less than two weeks away from the beginning of the summer semester. Between that, work, volunteering, and writing this story, I’m going to be quite busy this summer. May the Force be with me, as I’m going to need it to endure what will come next. Well, time to get to writing, as I know that you’re all chomping at the bit for some more of my continuation and memorial of the Star Wars Expanded Universe.**

**(7:18 P.M. Addendum) I can’t believe that I forgot about these two facts: As of last night, I finished _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ , and I have finished _All The Gallant Men: The First Memoir By A USS Arizona survivor: By: Donald Stratton_. I am currently working on ** **_THREE DAYS IN JANUARY: DWIGHT EISENHOWER_ ** **_’_ ** **_S FINAL MISSION_ ** **, which was written by Bret Baier and Catherine Whitney, and so far, it is an enjoyable book. I would highly recommend it to any fan of President Eisenhower. Well, back to the story!**

_0750 Hours_

_Day 102 Since the Shadow Alliance’_ _s Formation_

_Onboard the_ Second Chance

 

Vestara Khai had never felt a greater sense of peace that when she was in Ben Skywalker’s arms, and when their bare skin was touching, which reawakened her sexual appetite. She quickly indulged in it a little bit by nibbling on Ben’s left nipple, which stirred her lover to consciousness, and he groggily said, “Hey, Ves. Did you enjoy our little session last night?”

 

“Oh, you know it, Ben.” Vestara dreamingly replied before her expression turned serious, and she said, “Ben? Last night, you asked me if I could take down Ship.”

 

Upon hearing those words, Ben’s expression became completely alert, and he warily said, “Yeah, I did. Where are you going with this, Ves?”

 

“Look, if I were honest with myself, I don’t know if I could destroy Ship. Don’t get me wrong, I know that he has to be destroyed if we are to ensure the Sith’s destruction, but you have to understand that Ship still means a lot to me, and I considered him a friend for sixteen years before Edaan helped me turn away from the Dark Side for good.” Vestara explained to a patient Ben.

 

“I know, Ves.” Ben tenderly said as he rubbed circles in his lover’s shoulder blade, and continued to speak, saying, “Truth be told, I’d be suspicious if you were eager to take Ship out of the war. This only shows that you care about the people that were and are an important part of your life, which is a good thing.”

 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ben.” Vestara said as she kissed Ben on his lips with as much love and passion as she could muster, and, once their lips parted, she said, “Well, as much as I’d love to stay here in bed with you and snuggle with you all day, we reek of sweat from our… exertions last night, I _really_ need a sanisteam, and we’ve got to get ready for the daily strategy conference. So, what do you say that we finally get out of bed, luv?”

 

“Taking a sanisteam with you, Ves? I’d love it.” Ben seductively said as the two nude lovers made their way to the captain’s sanisteam chambers, where they quickly ran the hot water, and entered the chamber for another bout of lovemaking as they cleaned themselves.

_Thirty Minutes Later_

_In the Shadow Alliance’s Makeshift Command Center_

 

“Well, well. Look who it is. The Sith _smooka_ and her unwitting dupe.” Han Solo venomously said to Vestara and Ben as they made entered the tent where Kyle, Boba, Jaina, Luke, K’Kruhk, Saba, Voort, and Tenel Ka Djo, Leia, Allana, Mirta Gev, Ghes Orade, Edaan, Tau, Jaden, Adari, Sabine, Zeb, and Seelah were already in attendance for the mandatory war council meeting.

 

“Han, you promised that you’d be nice.” Leia said in warning to her husband, as she sympathized with Han’s anger at the situation, but was more diplomatic and managed to keep her face mostly neutral while looking at Vestara.

 

“I said I’d go along with this insane plan. What I didn’t say, however, was that I’m okay with it, or that I’d play nice.” Han said in rebuttal.

 

“It’s alright, Captain Solo. I know I had that coming, along with whatever other insults everyone else here can come up with.” Vestara said as she merely smiled at Edaan and Tau.

 

“Don’t expect my grandfather to change his opinion of you anytime soon, Vestara.” Allana said in a cautious tone before she continued, saying, “It would take a great deal of effort on your part to convince him, as well as most of the Shadow Alliance, that you’ve changed for good this time.”

 

“Fair enough.” Vestara said in an understanding tone to the _Chume'da_ , before she turned her head back to face Edaan, and said, “So, how go the efforts with taking the city of Dreshdae, as I know that you’re trying to take it since we’re still hunkered down in the desert less than a kilometer from the city, as well as dealing with Rook Saxon’s fleet above Korriban?”

 

After motioning for K’Kruhk to activate the holonet projection of Dreshdae, Edaan began to explain the situation to the two lovers, saying, “Well, we’ve made headway with dealing with Dreshdae, but we’re still facing stiff opposition in various part of the city, as the One Sith have revealed themselves in the hundreds, and are inflicting heavy casualties on our forces, which are holding their ground at the moment. And that’s just the ground portion of the battle. In space,” with that, the tactical projection changed to an image of the Horuset System, with the fleets of the One Sith and Shadow Alliance separated by the colors of red and green, respectively, and Edaan continued, saying, “The One Sith’s fleet has been conducting a hit-and-run campaign against us, but their attacks have had relatively minimal effect, since we can predict where and when they’ll strike, and we’ve been inflicting heavy casualties on their fighter squadrons and light cruisers. The bizarre thing, though, is that they’re so intent on keeping us from pursuing them, even though we know that they have reinforcements incoming. I’d have to bet that Krayt has a trump card or two in store for us, but the problem is that we have no idea on to what it is.”

 

“Well, does anyone have any ideas as to what these trump cards are, as we can’t afford to make any blunders in our strategy?” Upon hearing those words spoken, everyone, even Ben, turned to face Vestara, which confused the woman, and, after an awkward moment of silence, she said, “What are you all looking at me for?”

 

“Well, you have been in close contact with Krayt, Ves, and we already know that Krayt’s been doing a lot of dabbling in cybernetics, cloning, and Sith sorecery. If anyone would know what else Krayt has in store for us, it would be you.” Ben said as if he were stating the obvious.

 

This made Vestara mentally smack herself for being so idiotic. However, before she admitted to this slip of the mind, she realized a very important fact, and asked, “What about Triple Zero, Aphra, Nala Se, Wantos Myyric, and Talleth Qua? Hasn’t Kole managed to make them crack by now?”

 

“Oh, he’s made them crack, all right.” Mirta viciously said as her lips curled upward in a slightly sadistic smile before she continued, saying, “0-0-0’s databanks have been unlocked, while Wantos and Talleth are being debriefed for all of their experiments and knowledge of Krayt’s, and Nala Se is being beaten into a confession by Venku and _Ba’_ _Buir_.” Upon hearing that last part, every non-Mandalorian looked at her with a concerned look in their eyes, and she then said, “Oh, calm down! It’s not like she didn’t have it coming for her part in enacting Order Sixty-Six. And besides, they have orders not to go too far in their interrogation. Anyway, the only one who hasn’t managed to crack yet is Aphra, who must fear Krayt’s retribution too much to be a squealer.”

 

“Well, what have they revealed?” Vestara said, eager for any information that she could use to help Ben, Edaan, and the Shadow Alliance achieve their goals.

 

“Mostly their heinous experiments for Krayt, as well as the secret stash of Jedi, Sith, and other historical artifacts, as well as all of the children that Krayt managed to kidnap or breed for his armies, that he’s moving to an unknown location for departure from the planet.” Tenel Ka said in her trademark-collected tone.

 

Suddenly, as if inspiration had struck, Tau abruptly said, “What about his Sith Sorcerers? Could they be conducting some sort of ritual that could turn the tide for Krayt, such as a Force Storm or by breeding an army of Sith abominations?” At the mention of the words “force storm”, Luke, Leia, and Han adopted looks of horror on their face as they recalled how powerful Darth Sidious’s Force Storms were, as they were powerful enough to destroy the New Republic’s Defense Force when it was stationed above the moon of Da Soocha V during the reign of the Dark Empire.

 

Vestara and Tau also became horrified, which was something that Ben and Edaan were quick to pick up on, and the latter said, “Tau, what do you know?”

 

“When I was undercover in the One Sith, I learned that the entire body of Sith Sorcerers were being ordered to a bunker deep beneath Darth Krayt’s citadel for some top-secret mission. What if it’s to create a Force Storm when all of our naval forces are bundled up together so that they’re decimated, and it allows Krayt and his forces to escape the planet without any major opposition?” Tau explained, which caught everyone’s attention in a terrible way.

 

“Could they do it?” Boba said, which caught Tau off-guard, and he turned to face the Mandalore.

 

“What?” Tau said, not getting the question that Boba threw at him.

 

“I know what a Force Storm is from my time as a bounty hunter. What I’m asking you is if these Sith Sorcerers could create a Force Storm powerful enough to obliterate the entire Shadow Alliance fleet. Could they?” Boba said.

 

“Well… these guys were powerful enough to lock away the strike team’s memories of Darth Krayt’s true identity within their minds, so, with enough power and control, they just might be able to do it, and we can’t afford to let them succeed, or it’s game over for all of us.” Tau said as he gave the matter grave consideration.

 

“Then we need to call Bwua’tu right now, and get him to scatter the fleet throughout the system while we still can.” Edaan replied, which caused everyone to vigorously nod their heads in agreement.

 

Immediately afterwards, K’Kruhk began to contact the Bothan supreme commander. Soon enough, the holoprojection of the leader of the Shadow Alliance’s navies came into focus, and Bwua’tu impatiently said, “ _I hope that there is a good reason that you decided to contact me, as I’ve got a planetary blockade to enforce and an enemy navy to chase down so, as you may have noticed, I’m not in the best of moods._ ”

 

“Supreme Commander, we have good reason to believe that Darth Krayt has his Sith Sorcerers attempting to eradicate the Shadow Alliance’s navies with a Force storm that could rival Darth Sidious’s previous Force Storms.” Edaan quickly said, not wanting to further anger the aggravated Bothan.

 

After a moment of blankly staring into space, Bwua’tu turned to face Luke, Kyle, and Boba, and said, “ _Can you vouch for Jedi Palpatine, as I do not want to disperse the fleet based on the beliefs and theories of one Jedi Knight, even one as capable or reliable as Edaan._ ”

 

“The evidence seems to suggest so, Bwau’tu, because Tau reported to us that all of the One Sith’s Sith Sorcerers have been moved to a bunker deep within Krayt’s citadel for a ritual, and, since our fleet is bundled up in to one convenient location, it would make sense that Krayt would want to destroy us as quickly as possible since he can’t defeat our fleets in a head-on assault.”

 

“ _True enough, Mandalore._ ” Bwua’tu said as he stroked his goatee, and then said, “ _Well, we can’t risk losing the entire Shadow Alliance fleet, as it would destabilize the entire galaxy with its depleted forces. I’ll redeploy the fleets throughout the system in order to mitigate our losses if Krayt tries to create a Force Storm. Hopefully, this will allow us to catch the rest of Krayt’s scattered fleet before his reinforcements arrive. May the Force be with us all._ ” With that, he ended the transmission on his end, leaving the leaders of the ground invasion force to ponder their next move.

 

However, whatever their next move would be was put aside as they received an emergency transmission from Syal Antilles, the leader of the legendary Rogue Squadron, who was leading her squadron against the ground defenses of Dreshdae, and she yelled out, “ _This is Rogue Leader, reporting that the Sith meditation sphere known as ‘Ship’ has entered the battle, and is leading a wing of various fighters against our fighters while inflicting heavy casualties on our forces! We need immediate assistance! Rogue Leader, out!_ ” The transmission quickly ended, leaving a shocked War Council to reevaluate their strategy.

 

“I’ll go.” Vestara suddenly said, greatly surprising everyone, especially Ben and Edaan, who did not expect that proposal in the slightest.

 

“Vestara, what are you saying?” Leia said, hoping that she did not hear what she thought that she had just heard.

 

“What I’m saying, Master Organa Solo, is that I’ll take a StealthX fighter and take down Ship for good.” Upon seeing the baffled looks on everyone’s faces, she elaborated, saying, “Look, the fact of the matter is that no one else among this group knows Ship’s capabilities better than I do, and I need to do this in order to finally put my past behind me, as well as find some measure of atonement for my sins.”

 

“If you think that you’ll get a starfigher, much less any ship at all, traitor, then you’re a few Sabaac cards short of a full deck.” Han hatefully replied, earning more than a few angry looks from several of his friends, relatives, and comrades.

 

“Then she’ll come with me on the Second Chance, Captain Solo, as with Vua dead, I’m short one crew member.” Edaan quickly said, with everyone looking at him as if he had grown a second head.

 

“Edaan, what about Tau? He can fill Vua’s place on your team.” Tenel Ka said in a less severe tone than Han.

 

“No, Tau needs to stay here so that he can help predict the One Sith’s strategies, as well as whatever other vital intelligence that he can provide.” Edaan said, which surprised Tau, who pouted at the prospect of being left behind for a major battle against the One Sith. Sensing Tau’s disappointment, Edaan consoled him by saying, “Don’t worry, Tau, you’ll have more than enough time to shed Sith blood soon enough, But, right now, we need you to help us save lives through other means. Can you do that for me, brother?”

 

Fortunately for Tau, he did not have to answer that, as another emergency transmission suddenly came through, with the haggard and wounded image of the Togorian Jedi Knight known as Bhixen appearing, and he said “ _This is Jedi Knight Bhixen, reporting from the City of Dreshdae that Darths Krayt and Wyyrlok have entered the fray, and are inflicting heavy casualties on our right flank! They’re leading the Sith in a massive counterattack! Request immediate assistan-Ghk!_ ” Bhixen said as a lightsaber emerged from Bhixen’s gut, and the young Togorian fell to his knees, and then on the ground as he died, revealing a smirking Darth Snoke, who smiled malevolently at the holocomm before he crushed it beneath his boot, leaving the bulk of the commanders disgusted at the old Sith Lord’s cruelty.

 

“Well, this changes things.” Luke said after a moment of silence for the fallen Jedi Knight, and he then continued, saying, “We need to take the fight to Krayt, and quickly, for I fear that we’re running out of time.”

 

“We all know that, Luke. The question is, how?” Ghes coldly replied, as he was not in the mood for vague remarks from mystics.

 

“Sabine, Kyle, Zeb, Tenel Ka, K’Kruhk, Saba, Jaina, Tau, you’ll be with me as we take the fight to Darth Krayt in Dreshdae, while the rest of you will focus on taking down Ship and his starfighter escort. Does that sound like a plan, Ghes?” Luke said as he then smirked at the Mandalorian commander.

 

“It’s as good a plan as any, Skywalker. At least this time you won’t be sacrificing my people like dejarik pieces on a game board.” Boba said, answering for Ghes before he could say anything stupid and start a pointless argument.

 

“All right. We all know our missions, and we know that we’re short on time. Man your stations, and may the Force be with us.” Luke solemnly said as he prepared to head to a shuttle to take his allies to the carnage occurring within Dreshdae, while Boba, and Mirta headed to the _Slave I_ , Ghes went to prep his personal _bes'uliik,_ Han, Leia, and Allana headed to the _Millennium Falcon_ , where C-3PO awaited them, and Edaan, Adari, Ben, and Vestara headed to the _Second Chance_.

 

_Ten Minutes Later, Within the City of Dreshdae_

“Master, our probes report that several ships have departed the Shadow Alliance’s forward camp and are heading for Ship’s last known location, and that Luke Skywalker and several of the Shadow Alliance’s ground commanders are heading for this city as we speak.” Wyyrlok dutifully reported to Darth Krayt as the former dealt with two squads of Selonian fighters, while Krayt single-handedly massacred ten Stormtroopers and a male Nosaurian Jedi Knight.

 

“I am aware, Wyyrlok.” Krayt dismissively said as he deactivated his lightsabers, and motioned for his Shadow Hand to continue, as he sensed that Wyyrlok had more to tell him.

 

“There has… been a disturbing development in space, my master. According to a transmission that one of our probes intercepted, the Shadow Alliance’s fleets have begun to disperse themselves across the system. They know, or at least suspect that our plan is to decimate their armada with a Force Storm, though how, however, eludes me.” Wyyrlok hesitatingly said, more than a little afraid that Krayt would kill him for this news.

 

What shocked Wyyrlok, however, was that Krayt merely smiled at this news, and then said, “Edaan and his allies continue to exceed my expectations. But do not worry, my loyal friend. This changes nothing, as we only need to destroy enough of the Shadow Alliance’s fleet to provide us with an escape venue out of the system. And besides, they still do not suspect our second ritual that is well in motion, and they only have two days before it takes effect, and we will gain victory over the Shadow Alliance. For now, we need to focus on the battle at hand, as we will soon be tested against a truly worthy set of foes. Inform Darths Snoke, See-Chok, and Sedriss to prepare for the arrival of Luke Skywalker and his allies.”

 

Relieved beyond belief that he would not be killed for this change in the plan, Wyyrlok eagerly nodded as he activated his comlink, and began to give orders to the three aforementioned Sith Lords while Krayt though to himself, _Soon, Edaan Palpatine, you will have met your match, and nothing that you can do will be able to stop me!_

**Well, that’s it for another filler chapter of my final story, which should be the last one for a while. So, what did you guys think of it, as I value your input? And, how did you guys react to the revelation that one of Krayt’s rituals is a Force Storm? I imagine that you guys were pretty shocked. Don’t worry; Krayt has a plan to deal with this change in strategy. That I can assure you of. Oh, and, spoiler alert, this story is going to be full of death and shock for all of you guys, as I plan to kill off a lot of legendary characters in this story. You’ll never guess who they are, I can assure you of that. I promise you that you will not be disappointed by the content of my saga. Now then, onto other news. Are you guys excited about the inevitable release of** **_Injustice 2_ ** **, because I sure am, as I’ve seen the cutscenes of the story mode for the game on YouTube late last night, and boy, they did not disappoint. I can’t wait to play the game for myself, as well as get _Middle-Earth: Shadow of War: Gold Edition_ when it comes out in August, as I loved the first game immensely. Well, I guess that that’s it for the night of May 14, 2017. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	10. Chapter 9

**Good morning, Star Wars EU devotees! How are you doing in the morning of May 15, 2017? I am well, if a little tired, as I got about nine hours of sleep last night. Anyway, only one day left until** **_Injustice 2_ ** **is released, and boy, am I brimming with excitement. Are you guys going to get the game, because I sure am, and I know that I will not be disappointed with what I’ll find in the game? So, onto fanfiction news. Have you guys figured out yet who I’ll kill off in my story? If not, then that’s a good thing, as I don’t want to give too much away for you guys and deprive you of the pleasure of reading these stories for yourself. Oh, and, as of now, I’ve officially surpassed thirty thousand words in this story, and it’s barely been over a month since I’ve started writing this story. How awesome is that? Anyway, what are all of you doing today, as I’m going to a little get-together with people from my job at the thrift store? I’m sure that I will enjoy it, as I get to talk a little about my dreams and aspirations. Anyway, I’d better get writing, as I will probably kill off three of the Dramatis Personae of this story in this chapter, and will probably get a lot of hate mail as a response. Oh well. Such is the risk of writing, I suppose. Well, on with the story.**

**(May 16, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. How are you doing on the evening of May 16, 2017? I am well, if a little tired, as I’ve had a very productive day. I worked at the thrift store today, I walked almost two miles around my neighborhood, and Injustice 2 came out today, which I will hopefully get soon. Now, onto exciting fanfiction news: Squasher’s Unexpected Jedi crossover was updated last night, and it was an exhilarating battle chapter, and it sets the stage for an even greater battle that will be the largest one that Squasher has written so far in this story. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. Anyway, on with writing.**

_Ten Minutes Later, Onboard the_ Millennium Falcon

 

As the crews of the Slave I, Millennium Falcon, Second Chance, as well as the personal _bes'uliik_ starfighter of Ghes Orade, prepared to take off in order to eliminate the Sith Meditation Sphere that was wreaking havoc on Rogue Squadron, Han was doing a last-minute systems check of his beloved ship, with Leia right beside him in the copilot seat.

 

Leia, sensing a great deal of tension in her husband, and guessing what the source of his apprehension was, she said, “Han, sooner or later, you’re going to have to forgive Vestara for what she’s done, as everyone else has, even Allana.”

 

“You see, that’s what I don’t get. I can understand that Ben and Edaan can forgive her, given their history with her, and maybe even Luke, with how forgiving he is, but I just can’t comprehend how you, Jaina, and Allana can give her a third chance after all of the death and destruction that she’s caused.” Han said in exasperation as he turned to face his wife.

 

“Actually, Jaina told me that she would sooner kiss a rancor before she forgives Vestara, so I guess stubbornness runs in the family.” Leia said as she smiled wryly at Han, earning a chuckle from the eighty-six year-old man.

 

“Well, at least some of us in this crazy family still have some sense.” Han said as he shook his head in remembering how pigheaded both father and daughter could be when they were properly motivated. He then became serious and said, “How’s Allana taking Vestara’s role in the mission?”

 

“Better than you. She’s willing to give Vestara a final chance for redemption, which sets a good example for you.” Leia replied as she activated the ship’s intercom, and said, “Threepio, Robonino, Allana. Are all systems online?”

 

“ _Yes, Mistress Leia. The_ Millennium Falcon _’s engines and shields are functioning at one hundred percent capacity. Oh, how I hate going into battle._ ” C-3PO mournfully said as he spoke into the ship’s intercom.

 

“Quad Turbolaser One is fully online, and I can’t wait to blast some Sith lackeys!” Robonino eagerly said, which amused the Solo couple to the point that they laughed at the Patrolian bounty hunter’s school-boy eagerness for battle.

 

“Quad Turbolaser Two is alive. Over.” Allana curtly said to her grandparents, which did not surprise Han and Leia, as they had learned that their granddaughter had, ever since the Lost Tribe of the Sith’s invasion of Coruscant, abhorred violence and killing, and wanted this battle to end with as little bloodshed as possible, which the two elderly lovers understood, as they had spent over sixty years killing for the greater good, and they were ready for permanent retirement after the invasion was ended.

 

“All right. Time to hunt down Ship. Stay alert, and may the Force be with us.” Han solemnly said into the ship’s comms to the _Slave I_ , _Second Chance_ , and Ghes’s as he prepared the _Falcon_ for its final battle.

 

 _Concurrently, on the_ Second Chance

 

“Copy that, _Millennium Falcon_. The Second Chance is ready to hunt down some Sith and their minions. Over and out.” Edaan said into his ship’s comms as the _Second Chance_ took off alongside the _Millennium Falcon_ , _Slave I_ , and _bes'uliik_. Turning to face his shipmates, he gave them their assignments on his ship, saying, “Ben, Ves, you’ll man the turrets, as I need a team that’s going to work in synch if we’re going to have a chance to take down Ship.” Upon seeing the looks of resolve on each of their faces as they nodded in understanding, he added a few words for Vestara, saying, “Don’t worry, Ves. This time, you won’t be alone in this fight. You’ll have your loved ones by your side.”

 

Grateful for the continued support that her dear friend unconditionally gave her, she simply nodded to avoid her voice cracking, and the two lovers then made their way to their respective quad turbolaser turrets.

 

Turning to face Atai and Artoo, he said to the two of his friends, “I need you two to keep an eye out on any systems that may need repairs. If you think that they need to be fixed, then do it. Don’t wait for my approval, as we’ll be too busy in the fight for our lives. Understand?”

 

Artoo beeped in approval, while Atai simply nodded his head and departed to inspect the ship before the battle began.

 

“And what about me, Edaan? Do you have some position for me, or should I just do my own thing?” Adari coldly said as she looked over the ship’s navigation systems in her copilot’s seat.

 

“Adari, I need you here, as there’s no one else that I trust to help me fly this ship in the conditions that we’re going to be in.” Edaan tenderly said in a tone that made Adari’s heart melt with relief that she wasn’t being abandoned.

 

“Good. For a while there, I thought that you were pushing me to the sidelines for helping Vestara.” Adari said in relief, which made Edaan roll his eyes in amusement at Adari’s comment as the _Second Chance_ took point as the four ships began the hunt for the ancient Sith Meditation Sphere.

 

_Concurrently, In Orbit above Korriban_

_Ship. Edaan, Vestara, and their allies are coming for you. Are you ready to deal with your former master?_ The telepathic voice of Darth Krayt said as it echoed into the consciousness of the Sith vessel.

 

 _Fear not, Lord Krayt. Vestara Khai means nothing to me anymore, and I am eager to destroy her and the ones who corrupted her._ Ship neutrally said as he activated his engines, and led the seven squadrons of Fang Fighters, X-Wings, TIE Fighters, Z-95 Headhunters, E-Wings, _Kom’rk_ -class fighters/transports, _Bes’uliik_ Starfighters, and three heavily modified _Pursuer_ -class enforcement ships that Krayt had placed under his command into battle once again, only this time, to destroy several of the Shadow Alliance’s most prominent leaders.

 

_Forty Minutes Later_

 

“ _Well, we’ve made it to your position, Rogue Leader. Now, where’s Ship?_ ” Edaan said to Syal Antilles as he and the fourteen ships, as the four leaders of the task force sent to hunt Ship down had gained some much-needed reinforcements in the form of Jedi Master Kyp Durron and his squadron of ten StealthX Fighters, rapidly approached the greatly diminished Rogue Squadron.

 

“He headed to sector K-12, and my squadron’s only at fifty percent capacity since we’ve lost Rogues Three, Five, and Nine through Twelve from Ship’s starfighter escort.” Syal replied as the unpleasant memories of losing two of her squadmates to an old Sith construct, and four others to the vacuum of space, waiting to be rescued and treated for any trauma that they might have experienced as their fighters were destroyed.

 

“Sorry that we couldn’t get here sooner, Rogue Lead.” Han sympathetically said as his ship began to sweep the area for any signs of either Syal’s ejected squadmates, as well as for any clues of where Ship had disappeared.

 

“Well, we’ll get our chance to redeem ourselves soon enough, everyone, because we’ve got over ninety bogeys incoming from nine o’clock, and one of them’s Ship!” Mirta Gev urgently said into everyone’s comms, and Syal’s astromech droid began to whirl around and beep in an alarmed manner in its starfighter port, which put Syal on full alert, and she quickly ordered her squadron to form up to face this oncoming incursion. In the distance, she could begin to make out a giant bat-like ship, which Syal immediately recognized as the Sith Meditation Sphere that was simply called “Ship”, appear at the center of the flotilla of starfighters, which was comprised of one squadron each of Fang Fighters, X-Wings, TIE Interceptors, Z-95 Headhunters, E-Wings, _a_ s, _Bes’uliik_ Starfighters, and three _Pursuer_ -class enforcement ships, with Ship accelerating to the front of the large force, materializing a dual set of proton torpedo launchers from nothing but sheer willpower as he prepared to eradicate his former friend and her loved ones.

 

“ _Everyone, prepare for the fight of our lives, and may the Force be with us._ ” Edaan solemnly said before he shouted a battle cry in _Mando_ _’a_ into everyone’s comms, “OYA!!!”

 

As everyone understood what that last word meant, and what Edaan was trying to do in invigorating his friends in order to survive the coming battle, everyone shouted “Oya!!” as they rushed to confront one of Darth Krayt’s highest-ranking servants, unaware that a certain white-eyed Sith Lord was commanding Ship from inside his bridge.

 

*

 

As White Eyes observed the twenty approaching Jedi, Mandalorian, and Galactic Alliance ships from the safety of the command center of Ship, he merely smiled in hungry anticipation of being the one alongside Ship that would take down the infamous Edaan Palpatine, Han and Leia Organa Solo, Boba Fett, and Vestara Khai all in one fell stroke.

 

As he commanded Ship to accelerate, he channeled the Dark Side of the Force and allowed Ship to materialize two concussion missile launchers in addition to Ship’s two proton torpedo launchers that were already materialized. He then activated the meditation sphere’s communications systems, and said to all of the fighters under his command, “All ships, fire at will. But leave the Second Chance to Ship and me. The traitor is ours.” Upon hearing a series of “Roger” and “Understood”, White Eyes telepathically spoke to Ship, saying, _You may fire when ready, Ship._

 

 _With pleasure, White Eyes._ Ship bloodthirstily said to White Eyes, who grinned at Ship’s eagerness to destroy their mutual enemies, and the former launched a series of concussion missiles at the enemy ships, who nimbly dodged the attack, but doing so left them vulnerable to an attack by White Eyes’s squadrons of fighters, who managed to destroy one Jedi StealthX and a Rogue Squadron X-Wing.

 

*

 

With first blood spilt by the One Sith, the remaining eighteen Shadow Alliance fighters regrouped, and the _Slave I_ led the charge. As the _Firespray_ -class interceptor fired at two squadrons of Fang Fighters and E-Wings, Boba Fett dropped a seismic charge, and the charge immediately detonated, completely destroying all but two of the Fang Fighters that were fortunate enough to be far enough away from the blast to avoid the worst of the effects.

 

After Boba’s classic tactic was unveiled, all hell broke loose, as four fighters attacked each remaining Shadow Alliance ship, with Ship and the three remaining One Sith fighters attacking the _Second Chance_.

 

 _Ten Minutes Later, Onbard the_ Slave I

 

“Get another seismic charge, ready, Mirta! We’ve got to cover Ghes and the Solos before they’re dead meat.” Boba barked out as he swerved his timeworn ship to the left in order to avoid proton torpedoes that were launched from three X-Wings.

 

“On it, _Ba’_ _Buir_!” Mirta shouted as she armed another seismic charge, and prepared to launch the charge on Boba’s order.

 

After a few moments, and aligning Boba’s ship so that the seismic charge would detonate at maximum efficiency, Boba gave the order, saying, “Now, Mirta!” With the command given, the seismic charge was released, and quickly exploded, releasing shock waves that completely obliterated two of the TIE Interceptors and three of the _bes’uliiks_ that were hunting Ghes and the _Millennium Falcon_.

 

“ _Nice work, Fett. But next time, can you try to not cut it a little closer?_ ” Han reluctantly said through his ship’s comms in gratitude.

 

“ _Oh, can’t you be a little more grateful, Solo? Thanks,_ Ba’Buir _. Thanks,_ cyar'ika _._ ” Ghes said in gratitude to his leader and wife as he finished off the last of the enemy _bes’uliiks_ that were hunting him.

 

“ _Okay, enough chatter, guys. Let’s focus on the matter at hand, and eradicate Ship and whoever’s commanding him, as I sense a familiar dark presence within him._ ” Edaan curtly said as the Second Chance took out an X-Wing and a Z-95 Headhunter while being hit by Ship’s concussion missiles, which made the CEC YT-1300 Light Freighter shudder from the damage that it had just sustained.

 

“ _Okay, we need to wrap this battle up quickly. With all the damage that we’ve taken, I don’t know how much longer the_ Second Chance _can keep this up._ ” Adari grimly said as the Second Chance, Millennium Falcon, Kyp Durron and two of his fellow StealthX fighters took this opportunity to launch their proton torpedoes and missiles on Ship, which penetrated the Sith Meditation Sphere’s deflector shields and scored several direct hits on the wings and core of Ship. Unfortunately, those attacks were not enough to destroy Ship, as he materialized a quad-turbolaser turret, and fired at the left flank, which destroyed the two StealthX fighters that were subordinates of Kyp Durron, and greatly damaged the _Millennium Falcon_ , whose engines and reactor core were severely damaged, and came to an abrupt stop.

 

“Oh, boy.” Mirta whispered as she feared what would happen next to the Solos.

 

Getting right to work, Boba activated his ship’s comms and said, “ _Millennium Falcon_ , this is _Slave I_. What’s your status? Over?”

 

“ _The_ _Falcon_ _’s dead in the water with barely any power remaining, and it looks like the reactor core is going to explode and take out the ship with it in… Oh, come on! We’ve got four minutes until the_ Falcon _is gone, and there’s nothing we can do._ ” Han angrily shouted into the ship’s comms, which made a grave feeling of dread course throughout Boba, which greatly surprised him, as he did not consider Han or Leia to be friends of his, only allies of convenience.

 

 _Simultaneously, On the_ Millennium Falcon

 

“ _Can you shut down the reactor core before it blows?_ ” Edaan gravely said from his ship, even though he feared the answer to the question that would immediately follow.

 

“No, Edaan. The path out of the cockpit has collapsed, and we don’t have enough time to clear the debris.” Leia solemnly said as she telepathically urged her granddaughter to find Robonino and Threepio, and get to the escape pods before time ran out.

 

 _On the_ Second Chance

 

“Get to the escape pods, you guys! We’ll cover you, get the pods and get you in the _Second Chance_.” Edaan urgently said as he felt the increasing apprehension of Ben and Vestara as they heard the crisis that was developing, and they fired with increased fervor at enemy fighters in order to defend the stricken ship.

 

 _Onboard The_ Millennium Falcon

 

Allana could not believe what was happening: The Millennium Falcon, her favorite ship, the one that her family had spent so much of their lives on, was about to explode, and she couldn’t do anything to stop it, just like the time when she couldn’t save her dear friend Bazel Warv from members of the Lost Tribe of the Sith during the Liberation of Coruscant. And even worse, her grandparents were in mortal danger, and she was ordered to get Robonino and Threepio out of the ship instead of saving the people who raised her for three years after her father was killed.

 

She had to try to save them, but before she could take a step to the cockpit, the voice of her grandmother came into her head, and she said, _Allana, we need you to do as we say, as we don’t want you to die before you live a full life._

_But I don’t want you guys to die. I know that I’m being selfish, but you guys mean the galaxy to me, and I don’t know what I’ll do without you guys._ Allana mentally pleaded to Leia.

 

 _Don_ _’t worry, Allana. You’ll be fine. You still have so much family, as well as so many people who will help you through your grief._ Leia said as she consoled Allana, who was on the verge of tears at this point, as she was following her grandmother’s instructions and trying to save Threepio and Robonino, came across the broken and mangled form of Threepio, as his lower torso had been ripped apart from the blast, and his head was separated from the rest of his body.

 

 _Please don’t leave me. I don’t want you guys to die a pointless death at the hands of a Sith construct._ Allana telepathically begged her grandmother to try and come with her as she delicately picked up the protocol droid’s head.

 

 _We won’_ _t die in vain, Allana. We_ _’re going to take out Ship and bring the galaxy a little closer to peace._ Leia tenderly said, which only caused further tears to drip down the young _Chume'da_ ’s face.

 

Before she could think of anything else to say, the voice of Robonino screamed from his quad turbolaser turret, “Allana, get out of here, now!”

 

Quickly running to Robonino’s location, she said, “Not without you! Now, come on!”

 

“I can’t leave, Allana. I’ve got to cover the Falcon as it makes its final run against Ship. You’ve got to get out of her while you still have a chance, as there’s only one escape pod that’s still functioning. You’re crucial to the fight for peace, while I’m just a lowly bounty hunter whose time to bite the dust has finally come. Well, at least I’ll be going out in a blaze of glory, like I always wanted.” Robonino ardently denied with all of the passion and commitment that he could muster.

 

Seeing that she couldn’t convince Robonino to come with her, she meagerly nodded in understanding before she turned to leave. But, before she could leave, Robonino called out to her, solemnly saying, “Hey, Allana? Tell Edaan that it was an honor to know and serve him.”

 

Allana, nodding in understanding and empathy, then ran to the _Falcon_ ’s sole remaining escape pod, and, cradling the head of C-3PO, launched the pod, with the _Second Chance_ rushing to the area to pick up the escape pod.

 

With Allana safely onboard the _Second Chance_ , Leia and Han could then focus on taking down Ship, but not before they said a few choice words to Edaan and his crew. Han, contacting Robonino through the ship’s intercom, said, “Hey, Robo. Two minutes to detonation. Thanks for staying with us to the end. I’m patching us through to the _Second Chance_ so that you can say good-bye to Edaan and the others.” He then opened a channel to the _Second Chance_ , and said, “Edaan? Can you hear us?”

 

 _Concurrently, on the_ Second Chance

“Yeah, we hear you loud and clear, Han.” Edaan sadly said as he prepared to steel his heart for the inevitable wave of sorrow that would permeate the Horuset System.

 

“ _We don’t have much time, so we’ll make this quick. You’ve got to promise me that you’ll look after Ben in case Vestara pulls a fast one on him, because I’d rather be safe than sorry. And, you’ve got to help look after Allana, because I don’t want her to become like her father. Finally, you’ve got to promise me that you’ll kick Krayt in the rear deflector shield for us before you kill him. You understand?_ ”

 

“Don’t worry, Han. I’ll do my best on all three of those final requests. May the Force be with the three of you. And, tell Robonino that it was an honor to have him as a friend.” Edaan said as he began to tear up from the emotional pain that he was experiencing at this time.

 

“ _Thanks, boss. That really means a lot for me, and I feel the same way, my old friend._ ” Robonino tearfully said as he spoke for the first time in this final conversation.

 

“ _Han, forty seconds until detonation._ ” Leia said as the _Falcon_ rapidly approached Ship for its final voyage.

 

“Right. Edaan, thanks you for one last grand battle. Now we can go out in a blaze of heroics, just like I always wanted.” Han gratefully said before he said, “ _May the Force be with you all, because you’ll need it to take down Krayt. This is the_ Millennium Falcon, _signing off._ ”

 

Edaan and Adari were then left alone as they saw the _Millennium Falcon_ charge towards Ship at full speed with no regard for the safety of the ship’s three remaining inhabitants.

 

 _On the_ Millennium Falcon

 

“Han, the deflector shields are at twenty percent, and the core’s going to explode in fifteen seconds!” Leia said as they rapidly closed the distance between them and Ship.

 

“Don’t worry, princess. We’ve got this.” Han grimly said as he then said, “We’ve lived good lives, didn’t we?”

 

“Yes, Han. Yes we did.” Leia solemnly said as she kissed Han fiercely on the lips, which he eagerly reciprocated for five seconds before the kiss ended, and Leia said, “I love you, Han.”

 

“I love you too, Leia.” Han gently said just before a bright light enveloped the Solos, and darkness claimed them for all of time.

 

_Meanwhile, on the Surface of Korriban_

_Within the City of Dreshdae_

Luke was busy killing a Togorian Sith Lord when he felt the equivalent of a stoke course through his body via the Force. Immediately knowing who had just died, he sat staggered to the ground and painfully said, “Han. Leia.” Judging from the expressions on every Force Sensitive that was within his vicinity, they felt the disturbance in the Force, and they, along with Zeb and Sabine, helped Luke up as Darths Krayt, Wyyrlok, Sedriss, and Snoke approached the Shadow Alliance members with huge and sadistic grins plastered across their faces, which enraged the Light Siders as they prepared for the battle of their lives.

 

 _Back on the_ Second Chance

 

Ben felt the massive disturbance of the Force as his aunt and uncle were destroyed by the _Falcon_ ’s reactor core exploded, appearing to take down Ship with them. As Vestara manned her turret while he kept an eye on his weeping cousin, who was still cradling the damaged head of C-3PO, Ben was about to talk to Allana when he felt the familiar dark presence of Ship in the Force, although it was less of a presence of more of a spark, which implied that Ship was barely functioning. Ben then spoke to a passing Atai, saying to the Zygerrian governor, “Atai, I need you to check on the cockpit to see what’s going on. I’d go myself, but Allana needs me right now.”

 

“No, Ben. I’ll be fine for a few minutes while you make sure that Ship is destroyed.” Allana said as she wiped the tears from her bloodshot eyes.

 

“Are you sure?” Ben asked, not wanting to leave his twenty-one year-old cousin alone with her grief.

 

“Yes. Just… make sure that you guys make their sacrifice count.” Allana said as her serious demeanor returned.

 

“We will, Allana. We will.” Atai solemnly said as she went to man Ben’s absent turret in order to end this battle a little quicker.

 

As Ben approached Edaan and Adari, he said to Edaan, “Do you feel that dark spark, Edaan?”

 

“Yeah. I do, Ben. We’d better get a closer look.” Edaan said as he took the _Second Chance_ near the wreckage, where he then felt a pitiful assault against his mind, which confirmed everyone’s suspicions that Ship was still alive.

 

 _You may have bested me and White Eyes, young Palpatine, but the cost of victory was high, and it will serve to demoralize the Shadow Alliance. And the traitorous Vestara will suffer a painful death at the hands of my master._ Ship mentally gloated to the two Jedi.

 

 _That’s really amusing, Ship, because right now, you’re the one that’s facing a painful death, as you’re at our mercy, which is in short supply since you killed Han, Leia, and Robonino._ Vestara telepathically countered, her mental voice full of rage, venom, and sorrow as she spoke.

 

 _I can feel your anger, Vestara Khai. It gives you great strength that even the most powerful Jedi in existence cannot begin to fathom. You cannot deny your heritage and your legacy, Vestara. Kill me, and you can achieve your vengeance for me taking away your precious friends._ Ship said as he tried to goad the incensed woman back to darkness.

 

 _If I had just Ben to worry about, I probably would kill you in a second, Ship. But now, I’ve got at least two people that believe in me, and I’m not going to let them down a second time. So, I won’t give into my anger, and let someone else take the shot. Goodbye, Ship. I’ll miss you._ Vestara replied with an air of finality as she called to Edaan, Ben, and Adari to ask, “Hey! Can one of you contact the _Slave I_ and have them blast Ship into Chaos, because I refuse to let Ship goad me into falling back to the Dark Side?”

 

“Oh, for Force’s sakes, I’ll do it!” Adari exasperatingly said before she continued, saying “They’ve got their hands full with the remaining Sith fighters, and we have a war to win.” She then launched a series of concussion missiles at Ship, which caused a chain reaction that completely destroyed the Sith meditation sphere.

 

After a few seconds, as well as shedding a few tears for her former friend, Vestara said, “We’d better get Allana back to the surface, and then join the battle for Dreshdae. I’m willing to bet that Allana might need medical attention, and we’ve got to honor her grandparents’ sacrifice, and finally destroy the Sith.”

 

“Agreed.” Edaan solemnly said as he opened a comms channel with the Slave I, saying, “ _Mand’_ _alor_ , we need to get Allana to safety and then help Luke and the others win Dreshdae. Can you mop up things up here?”

 

“ _Don_ _’t worry about us, Edaan. There’s only a handful fighters left, so we’ll be joining you in a couple of minutes. Just promise me one thing._ ” Fett said in a tone that betrayed the sadness that laced his voice.

 

“What is it, Fett?” Edaan asked as he prepared the _Second Chance_ to descend back to the Shadow Alliance’s main camp.

 

“ _Make their deaths count, and put an end to this five thousand-year war between the Jedi and Sith._ ” Boba answered in complete seriousness as the Slave I destroyed a _Kom’rk_ -class fighters/transport, and a _Pursuer_ -class enforcement ship seconds after.

 

“Now that’s a promise that I can keep, Fett. I’ll see you planetside. _Second Chance_ , out.” Edaan said as he led the CEC YT-1300 Light Freighter into Korriban’s atmosphere, and headed to the Shadow Alliance’s forward camp.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on the darkest chapter that I’ve ever written in my story yet. So, what did you think of this chapter, as I imagine that it was a shock for almost all of you? Do you think that I made the deaths of Han and Leia Organa Solo, Robonino, and C-3PO (Yes, I preserved C-3PO’s head, but not because I want to bring him back to life. Well, I do want him back, but in a different form that will connect with the Legacy: Volume II comics. I’ll give you one big hint; he’ll be resurrected as an assassin droid that helped destroy the One Sith.) believable enough? Oh, and I hope that you enjoyed how Vestara made a big step deeper into the light, and how I portrayed Han and Leia’s final moments alive. Now, on to the necessary explanations. Yes, I imagine that you think that I’m a monster for killing off Han and Leia, but, before the hate mail comes, let me explain: You see, since my story continues the Expanded Universe in my own way, I wanted Han and Leia to die in a noble and honorable blaze of glory against the forces of the Dark Side that they spent the bulk of their lives fighting against. And, you have to admit, at least I made their deaths much more noble than Han’s in the, pardon my language, the abomination that was _The Force Awakens_ , and I gave their deaths much more purpose and nuance. Anyway, I hope that you can stomach more death, because I have much more planned for this story. I doubt that you’ll see what comes next. Well, how are you doing on May 18, 2017? I am well, as I’ve mowed my parents’ lawn, had a good dinner, and I’m about to have a delicious dessert. Oh, and, I’m almost done with ** **_THREE DAYS IN JANUARY: DWIGHT EISENHOWER_ ** **_’_ ** **_S FINAL MISSION_ ** **,. And will move on to another great book. And, hopefully soon, I’ll get to order _The History of The Lord of the Rings_ boxed set, along with other great books, online, where the prices are cheap. Well, I guess that that’s all that I want to talk about today. May the Force Be With you, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	11. Chapter 10

**Good afternoon, all of you Star Wars Expanded Universe loyalists. How are you doing on this hot day of May 19, 2017? I am well, as I bought a three-in-one book from my local help center while I volunteered there. Anyway, I wanted to warn you guys that there will be far more deaths in this story, but, don’t worry, in case you were wondering, I won’t kill off Luke in battle like I did with Han and Leia. That’s a promise. Anyway, this next chapter will have the heroes deal with their grief in their own ways, as well as see the Siege of Korriban intensify. So, guys, tell me what you’ve thought of my story so far, as I’ve only gotten three reviews for this story at this time, and I could use more constructive criticism for my story. Oh, and I think that this is the chapter that I will bring C-3PO back to like in a new form, and I’m sure that most of you Star Wars EU experts will know how I plan to revive him. Well, may the Force be with me, as I will need it to continue writing what comes next. Oh, and I’ll be borrowing and modifying an** **_Injustice 2_ ** **quote for this chapter in order to add more depth to the interactions with the characters.**

**(May 21, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everybody. How are you doing on this dreary day of May 21, 2017? I am well, if a little tired, as I have recently discovered that _The Witcher_ is soon going to have a TV series on Netflix, which has me both excited and disappointed. I am excited because it will continue such a great saga, but disappointed because it will not acknowledge the video games that follow the books. And, Squasher’s _Unexpexted Jedi_ story was just updated last night, and it’s a very good chapter. I would highly recommend that you all check it out. Oh, and RC1115-06’s SWTOR story, _The choices we make_ , was just updated today, and the chapter was quite interesting. Oh, and, I just ordered _The History of The Lord of the Rings_ boxed set from online for a fraction of the original price. I can’t wait to read those books over the summer. Well, that’s it for me in this addendum. Back to writing. **

**(May 22, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everybody. What’s up with you on this warm day of May 22, 2017? I am well, if a bit nervous, because as of today, I have officially started my summer course for community college, and I have a feeling that it will be a challenging course. Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know that between work, my volunteering, and now school, my updates might be a bit slower. I just thought that I should give you guys a heads-up in advance, so you aren’t disappointed too much by my potential lack of updates. Anyway, I’d better get back to writing.**

 

_Twenty Minutes Later, Within the Shadow Alliance’s Forward Base Camp_

As the Second Chance landed in the makeshift landing bay for the Shadow Alliance’s ships, the Slave I, Ghes’s _Bes’uliik,_ eight Jedi StealthX fighters, and five Rogue Squadron X-Wings soon followed, and the seven fighters within the CEC Light Freighter solemnly departed the ship, with a repair crew for the ships’ damage that the suffered taking down Ship, a psych counselor for Allana, and a mechanic for the damaged head of C-3PO, where his consciousness would be downloaded into a computer in order for his head to be triaged for spare parts.

 

Edaan and Adari came to Ben and Vestara, and the former asked the two lovers, “How are you holding up, you two?”

 

“Better than feared, worse than we hoped. It’s Allana that you should be worried about, though. She hasn’t said a word since Han and Leia died.” Vestara sadly said as she put her hand on Ben’s shoulder to comfort him in his grief.

 

“Then I’d better go talk to her, as it was partially my fault that they died since I roped them into this mess to begin with.” Edaan said as he sighed, and walked to speak with Allana, who was busy talking to a psych counselor as she kept an eye on the mechanic who was working on Threepio’s head.

 

“Allana? How are you holding up?” Edaan sympathetically asked as he placed a gloved hand on her shoulder.

 

“I just lost my sole remaining grandparents to a Sith Lord and his accursed ship, and there’s no telling whether or not Jaina and Uncle Luke are sill alive in this miasma of Dark Side energy. How do you think I’m holding up, Edaan?” Allana angrily said as tiny flecks of gold began to color her eyes, which startled Edaan, as he never pictured that Allana would ever display such anger.

 

“Sorry, I had to ask as a courtesy.” Edaan meekly said as he raised his hands up in fear of further angering the _Chume'da_. He then changed tactics, saying, “Look, I just want you to know that if you ever want to talk, I’m here for you, and so are Ben and Vestara. We all lost family to the Dark Side in one form or another, so we can help each other deal with our grief together. And besides, I promised your grandfather that I’d help you out when you needed it.”

 

“Well, thanks, Edaan, but I’d rather have them here with me right now. You wouldn’t understand.” Allana dejectedly replied.

 

“You think I don’t understand how you feel, Allana?” Edaan empathetically said, not at all offended by Allana’s misery, as he, better than anyone else present, knew what she was going through at this time. He then gently continued speaking, saying, “Did you forget that, like you, I’ve got the blood of an infamous Sith Lord in my veins, and every day I’ve got to prove to the doubters throughout the galaxy that I’m a better person then Sidious ever was? And, we’ve both lost loved ones due to the Dark Side, you in your father, your maternal grandfather, and your paternal grandparents, and me in my entire family due to Abeloth’s rampage across Coruscant.”

 

After smacking her head in realization of her insensitivity, Allana said, “Oh, that’s right. I’m sorry, Edaan, I just miss them so much.” Edaan then wrapped an arm over her shoulder as she silently wept, never letting go, which Allana greatly appreciated. Allana then realized that Robonino died on the Millennium Falcon along with her grandparents, and then said, “Edaan? Why aren’t you crying over the death of your friend?”

 

“Because, Allana, Robo wouldn’t want me to get bogged down in ‘sentimental rubbish’, as he called it. He’d want me to focus on the job at hand, and then mourn the loss of a good friend.” Edaan honestly said as tears of his own welled up in his eyes as he remembered all of the crazy adventures that he and the Patrolian bounty hunter had gotten into, before he steeled himself to fight away the tears, and he pulled his arm away to stand up and face Boba, Mirta, Ben, Vestara, Adari, and Artoo, who were patiently waiting to speak with Allana.

 

“I believe that you have some people that want to speak with you, Allana. I’d better check up on Threepio, see if he’s okay. I’ll see you in a little while, okay?” Edaan said before he walked away, leaving Allana alone her six guests.

 

As the young princess turned to face her visitors, she condescendingly said to Boba, Mirta, and Vestara, “I’m sure that my grandparents dying is the best news that you heard all day, since you guys were enemies for so long.”

 

“I’ll miss him, too.” Boba sympathetically said, which shocked everyone present, but no one was more surprised by that remark than Allana.

 

“You mean that?” Allana shockingly said as she stood up from her spot to face Boba.

 

“He and I might have been enemies for a long time, but… I always respected him as a worthy adversary, and I never held any true malice for him, even when his son murdered my daughter. And, in the end, he died like a Mandalorian would have, dying to strike a crippling blow against an enemy, as well as save his friends and loved ones. That will earn him much respect among my people.” Boba explained to Allana, who was grateful for the Mandalore’s honesty.

 

“Your grandfather was a better man than I was, Allana.” Mirta began before she continued, saying, “When I was employed by the Qrephs, I compromised so many of my principles for the false promises that they were providing, like sacrificing one of my men for an insane experiment, allowing them to order the deaths of over twenty-eight thousand civilians in Lando Calrissian’s Sarnus Refinery, and torturing your grandfather when he just spoke the truth about my stupidity. Your grandfather might have made some choices that I don’t agree with, but he never compromised his principles, even when he was a smuggler, and when he lost Chewbacca, and that makes him a better person than I could ever hope to be.”

 

“Mirta’s right. Your grandfather was a man of true honor, and helped save the galaxy so many times that the galaxy should be run by him and the rest of your family, if they desired power. And… now I’ll never get the chance to atone for my sins in the eyes of him and your grandmother, and that fills me with so much regret that it’s taking everything that I have to not cry with you.” Vestara continued as she looked down to the ground in shame and sorrow, which made Allana put a hand on her shoulder.

 

“I think that they’d be proud of you if they could see all three of you now. You’re here right now in order to atone for your sins, and to bring a true and lasting peace to the galaxy, which is all that they ever really wanted.” Allana sympathetically said to the three former enemies of the Skywalker and Solo families.

 

Before Adari or Ben could say anything, Edaan timidly approached the six fighters with a fearful look on his strained face, and said, “Uh… Allana, we have a little problem with Threepio.”

 

Immediately turning to face the cyborg Jedi Knight, Allana fearfully said, “What’s wrong. Did the technician wipe Threepio’s memories, or did something worse happen?”

 

“Well… it’s more complicated than that, but not quite as bad as you think, Allana. You’re gonna want to see for yourself what just transpired in order to believe it.” Edaan sheepishly said, which made Allana run to where the mechanic was lying unconscious on the ground, with the remains of Threepio’s exploded head lying on a table, which made Allana fall to the ground in her grief.

 

However, before Allana could shed any tears, a gentle but firm and familiar voice came from the IG-series assassin droid that was assisting the mechanic, and said, “Do not fear, Allana. I am alright, if a little changed.”

 

“Th-Threepio?” Allana shockingly said as she stared at the silver-colored assassin droid in wonder, while everyone else’s jaws, minus Edaan’s as he already knew of this development, fell agape, even Boba’s, as he had rarely seen such a development.

 

“That is correct, Allana. Although, since I am now an assassin droid, I feel that a new name is in order. I… believe that my new designation should be AG-37, as ‘AG’ can stand for ‘Assassin Guard’, which is appropriate, as I am programmed to protect the Skywalker and Solo families from harm.” The newly designated AG-37 said, which made Artoo whirl around and beep ecstatically at not losing his oldest friend to the Sith. AG-37 then turned to face Artoo, and gratefully said, “Yes, Artoo, I’m glad to be alive and functioning as well. And now I have the capabilities to fight alongside you and help deliver a death blow on the One Sith.”

 

“Wait, wait. Since when do you want to fight and kill anyone? Aren’t you supposed to be a peace-lover?” Mirta skeptically said as she took in this new revelation.

 

“I still am, Mirta Gev, but I now acknowledge that some lives need to be taken in order to protect the galaxy from evil in all of its forms, ranging from the Sith, to petty despots, and the Yuuzhan Vong.” AG said in acknowledgement of Mirta’s questions.

 

“Well, we’ll take all the help that we can get in stopping the One Sith, AG. And I bet that Luke will be ecstatic to learn that his father’s protocol droid is still alive, if a bit changed.” Edaan said in gratitude as he turned to Allana and asked, “Allana, do you want to come with us and fight, or stay here and help coordinate our efforts and help the wounded? No one here would judge you if you wanted to stay behind and take some time to grieve. Right, guys?” He turned to Boba and Mirta with a glare in his eyes as he spoke that last sentence to them.

 

“It’s her call. And, honestly, she could use some time to get her bearings in order, because the _manda_ knows that I needed time to heal after Caedus killed my mother.” Mirta honestly said as she brushed off Edaan’s threat.

 

“Mirta’s right. She could use some time to put herself back together, because a distraught _Chume'da_ would do us no good, and would likely get herself and a bunch of our people killed.” Boba said with a mixture of practicality and sympathy for the young heiress.

 

“Thanks, guys, but I need to be out there, with the rest of my family, because I’m still a Solo, and Solos don’t run from their problems, they confront them head-on.” Allana said in a tone that would brook no dissent from her comrades, and she departed to the _Second Chance_ , with AG following her after taking a moment to stock up on weapons, blaster packs, and grenades.

 

“Well, you heard the lady, we’ve got some problems to tackle head-on, so let’s get to it.” Edaan enthusiastically said as the seven fighters headed to the _Second Chance_ in order to head to Dreshdae and aid the beleaguered Shadow Alliance forces that were barely holding off Darth Krayt and his armies.

 

_Forty Minutes Later_

_Within the City of Dreshdae_

Jedi Master Saba Sabatyne was not enjoying the hunt for Darth Krayt, as she was struggling to make any headway against the two Sith Troopers that she was forced to contend with at this time. Knowing from past experience that her jaws and claws would not be able to break the armor of the enhanced cyborgs, she was forced on the defensive against their nearly inexhaustible reserves of adrenaline and stamina. Sooner or later, she would make a mistake with her depleted reserves of strength, and in a war this intense, even a single mistake could be lethal.

 

As she barely managed to fend off an attack from a female Shistavanen Sith Trooper, and quickly decapitating her, she felt the pommel of a lightsaber hit the back of her head with enough force to crack Saba’s skull. She fell to the ground in excruciating pain as she held the back of her head with one hand, and struggled to find her dropped lightsaber through her blurry vision in order to continue the fight against the male Kaleesh Sith Trooper that now stood above her in order to deliver the killing blow.

 

Mere seconds before the sole remaining Sith Trooper could finish off Saba, a blood-curdling roar cut through the air, and both the Sith Trooper and Saba turned their heads to see a charging Edaan Palpatine with his violet lightsaber lit, along with Boba Fett, Mirta Gev, Ghes Orade, Adari Thayn Palpatine, Ben Skywalker, Vestara Khai, Allana Solo, and an IG-series assassin droid, of all things, following him into battle, and they were cutting a bloody swath of Neo Death Watch and One Sith forces that were unfortunate enough to get in their way.

 

The Sith Trooper, realizing the severity of the threat that he now faced, turned to charge at Edaan before he could direct his full attention to him.

 

Mustering all of her remaining strength, Saba sent a telepathic warning to Edaan, all but screaming into Edaan’s mind, _Edaan, watch your left!_

Edaan, sensing Saba’s warning, moved to cut down the Sith Trooper, and made quick work of this Kaleesh Sith cyborg, eviscerating him in several places, causing him to crumble to the ground like a piece of millennia-old flimsi. He then went to the fallen Barabel Jedi Master, and, after checking her vitals, activated his comlink to the Shadow Alliance’s forward camp, and urgently said into it, “Jarael, this is Edaan Palpatine, requesting an immediate medical evac for Jedi Master Saba Sabatyne! Over!”

 

“ _Copy that, Edaan. I’ll be there in ten minutes. Stay with Master Sabatyne until she is safely extracted. Over._ ” Jarael replied as she calmly spoke into the comlink.

 

“Understood.” Edaan gratefully said as he began to aid Saba into a healing trance in order to accelerate repair of Saba’s skull.

 

While Edaan ministered to Saba, the Assassin droid that she spotted came up to Edaan and said, “I will stay with you until a medical extraction team has arrived to take care of Master Sabatyne. The others will push on ahead and assist Master Luke and the rest of our compatriots.”

 

“All right, AG. Thanks for staying with me, my friend.” Edaan gratefully said as he continued to apply soothing bursts of healing energy into Saba’s fractured cranium.

 

“Edaan.” Adari said as she finished off a Czerka Corporation security guard, and continued, saying, “Stay alive, luv, and catch up to us once Saba’s safely extracted, okay?”

 

‘You got it, Adari. May the Force be with you guys until I return.” Edaan said as he returned to accelerating the healing process of Saba’s skull, and the seven remaining fighters went ahead to aid the beleaguered Shadow Alliance forces.

 

 

 _Five Minutes Later, In_ The Drunk Side II _cantina_

 

Vindicator Brigade commander Sabine Wren was in deep _poodoo_ , as she was constantly fighting off several tuk’atas and shyracks that were under the command of her former comrade, the former Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger, now the infamous Sith Lord Darth Snoke. Her body was beginning to be worn down under the strain of continuous battle with no respite, and she knew that Snoke would soon move in for the kill, since he had not made a single move to attack Sabine at this time.

 

When she narrowly avoided a slash aimed at her back by a tuk’ata, she heard three series of blaster bolts fill the air, and she expected the end to claim her. After several seconds of closing her eyes in acceptance of her death, she opened them to reveal all of the dead tuk’atas and shyracks that littered the ground around her, and she was even more shocked to reveal the appearances of Boba Fett, Mirta Gev, and Ghes Orade standing in front of her with their blasters aimed at Snoke.

 

The aged Sith Lord, realizing that the tide had turned against him, decided to elicit a tactical withdrawal, and, after unleashing a barrage of Force Lightning in order to divert the attention of the four Mandalorians, he fled the devastated cantina.

 

As soon as Sabine’s vision cleared up, she scanned the area for any sign of Snoke, and, in frustration, growled out, “That traitorous _hut'uun_!”

 

“ _Udesii_ , Sabine. You’ll get your chance to take down Snoke soon enough. We need to focus on the battle at hand, and rally the troops before the Sith overwhelm them.” Ghes said in order to calm down the brigade commander.

 

“Fine.” Sabine annoyingly said as she deactivated the Darksaber and followed Boba and the others in joining the rest of their people in battle.

 

 _You better stay alive, Snoke, because I want the pleasure of killing you all to myself, you miserable schutta!_ Sabine venomously thought as she blasted away at any Neo Death Watch forces that had the misfortune to get in her way.

_Twenty Minutes Later, In Dreshdae’s Armory_

 

Luke Skywalker, K’Kruhk, Tenel Ka Djo, Jaina Solo Fel, and Tau Palpatine were engaged in the fight of their lives, as they were each dealing with a Sith Lord of their own in the forms of Darths Krayt, Sedriss, See-Chok, Wyyrlok, and Wyyrlok’s daughter, Sorzus, who were continuously assaulting the five Light Siders with the ferocity of five armies. Each fighter was not budging an inch in terms of their advantage in each of their lightsaber duels, and they did not notice the arrivals of Ben, Vestara, Adari, Allana, AG-37, and Edaan until the former two attack Wyyrlok, Adari attacked See-Chok with her use of the martial arts form of Teras Käsi, which the elderly male Sith Lord easily blocked with his usage of his prosthetic hands, and then landing a series of jabs on the Keshiri’s gut, taking the breath out of her and knocking her back several steps, and the latter three joined Luke in dueling Darth Krayt, as Edaan and Allana sensed that the former Jedi Grand Master was beginning to slow down in his attacks.

 

Seeing that the Jedi might be able to overwhelm them with their fresh reinforcements, Krayt telepathically communicated to Wyyrlok, _Phase Two is complete. Inform all units to fall back to the catacombs for Phase Three._

_As you command, master._ Wyyrlok loyally replied as he discretely typed a series of commands into his gauntlets, ordering the full withdrawal of all of the surviving Sith and Neo Death Watch forces within the catacombs. Once the orders were transmitted, Krayt used his connection with the Force to activate the thermal detonators within the armory, which quickly detonated, and created an inferno that the Jedi and their allies were forced to create a safe zone to protect them from the roaring flames, allowing the five top-ranking Sith Lords to make a quick getaway.

 

As soon as the Light Siders were able to eliminate the inferno, Luke turned to face the six newcomers and gratefully said, “Well, it seems like we owe you all a debt that can never be repaid.”

 

“Hey, I’m just glad that we could save you guys, as Allana would have likely killed me if she had lost anymore of her family members to the Sith.” Edaan nonchalantly replied as he deactivated his violet lightsaber.

 

Luke’s grin then fell at the reminder of the deaths of his sister and brother-in-law, but before he could say anything, AG interrupted him, gently saying, “Do not blame yourself for their deaths, Master Skywalker. There was nothing that you could have done to save them, and they died at peace with the lives that they had lived.”

 

Luke and Jaina’s eyes bolted wide open as their jaws practically fell to the ground, and Luke managed to utter, “Threepio?”

 

‘That is correct, Luke. Although, I would prefer to be called AG-37 from here on out, or AG, if you prefer.” AG said in a confirming tone, which further shocked everyone, as they all knew that Threepio was not a fighter.

 

After the five Light Siders turned to face Edaan in looking for an explanation, Allana spoke up and said, “It’s a long story. We’ll explain after we’ve taken out the One Sith. Agreed?”

 

“Fine. But you’d all better have a good reason for why Threepio- I mean, AG is in an assassin droid’s body.” Jaina said as she shook herself out of her stupor, and everyone began to move in order to help their forces rout the last of the One Sith forces that were still in the city of Dreshdae.

 

**And, that’s a wrap! Well, what did you guys think of the latest chapter of my final story? Did you like how I made C-3PO become AG-37 in my story, as it made sense to me. Here’s the funny thing, though. I just came up with the idea about a week ago, and it just fit so naturally into my story. Anyway, I hope that you guys are aware that, as of now, I have surpassed forty thousand words in this story so far, and I’m nowhere near done with this story. I don’t know about you, but I am very proud of myself for coming this far. So, are you guys eager for more of the hit animated TV show, Young Justice, because I sure am, and we have to wait up to a year before the show is continued? Well, I guess that that’s all that I have to say on the day of May 22, 2017. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Good afternoon, all of my friends and fans of my Star Wars EU stories! How are you doing on this dreary and rainy day of May 23, 2017? I am mentally worn out, as I have just completed a challenging assignment for my online class at my community college, and it took me about two hours to complete. I am pretty certain that I’m going to be very busy for the next seven to eight weeks, as I’ve got work, school, and volunteering to juggle alongside my writing. May the Force be with my in these challenging times, as I feel that I’m going to need it in order to get through the next several weeks. Anyway, have you guys seen the latest** **_Injustice 2_ ** **online chapter yet, because I am not eager for what comes next, what with** **Ra's al Ghul trying to corrupt the reformed Harley Quinn into joining his growing army by using her daughter as leverage. Anyway, this next chapter will feature more planning on both sides, as well as reveal Krayt’s plan on how he plans to deal with the Shadow Alliance. Oh, and I think that I’ll kill off another of the antagonists that are listed in the Dramatis Personae of this story in order to tie up a loose end, and to honor one of Karen Traviss’s achievements in her** **_Republic Commando_ ** **novel series. I hope that you guys enjoy, as by the time that I have written this chapter, I will have spent at least several days working on it, and I want to get it done soon, before the work starts to pile up upon me. Anyways, enjoy the story.**

**(May 25, 2017 Addendum.) Happy 40** ** th ** **anniversary of Star Wars, everybody! How are you doing on this momentous day? I am angry, as the Expanded Universe is still not being continued, and that just has my blood boil all across my body, as I still harbor great anger and despair with the Lucasfilm Story Group for, in my honest opinion, so please don’t troll it, ripping the Expanded Universe apart. I just don’t get why they can’t respect the wishes of a growing number of Star Wars Expanded Universe fans, and continue the Expanded Universe in a lesser capacity than before 2014. I saw a few threads on theforce.net that want the EU to continue, at least in the Legacy era, which I can sympathize with in a great way, as there are so many unanswered questions in that era. A lot of people want the old ways to continue, so I just wish that the people in charge of Star Wars would truly acknowledge our feelings and continue the EU, instead of just taking what they want and using it to fuel the constant “Rebellion versus Empire warfare.” Anyway, I have to get back to writing, as I have a slew of inspiration to use. May the Force be with us all in the Dark Times of the Disney Empire.**

 

_0800 Hours_

_Day 103 Since the Shadow Alliance’_ _s Formation_

_Within the City of Dreshdae_

Once the Shadow Alliance had completed its capture of any surviving Neo Death Watch forces, as the One Sith acolytes took their lives rather than divulge any intelligence to their enemies, their forces moved the bulk of their equipment and personnel into the city, where they set to work on combing the area for any useful equipment, weapons, and intelligence that could aid them in their endeavors to eradicate the Sith.

 

The interrogators were hard-pressed in sifting the truth and lies from the prisoners in order to gather a more complete picture of the Sith’s defense of Korriban, especially since the lead interrogator, the Chandra-Fan simply known as Kole, was, as of now, unable to break Darth Krayt’s lead archeologist and cyberneticist, Chelli Lona Aphra. In addition to the complication, Boba Fett and Venku Skirata were, as of yet, unable to extract any information from her on Krayt’s plans. However, according to Venku, he sensed that Nala Se was close to cracking, and that she would soon become a valuable source of information for the Shadow Alliance.

 

In addition, in the past twenty-four hours, according to the intelligence reports that were streaming in from across the galaxy, many forces of various sizes were vanishing across the galaxy, ranging from Mandalorian and Hutt mercenaries, to portions of the militias of remote worlds such as Dubvara, Cerea, and Bakura, and to many pirates and criminals of the galaxy. The only logical conclusion that could be made was that Krayt was summoning the bulk of his servants to the Horuset System to aid his outnumbered fleet. This was the main topic of debate at the Shadow Alliance’s war council, with Tau and Adari Thayn Palptaine, Luke and Ben Skywalker, AG-37, Artoo, Chopper, Sabine Wren, Garzeb Orrelios, Kyle Katarn, Tenel Ka Djo, and Vestara Khai as advisors to this meeting.

 

“The fleet is remaining on high alert for even the smallest unauthorized ship entering the system, and we’ve managed to disable a _Keldabe_ -class battleship, two _Pursuer_ -class enforcement ships, three _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers, which included Rook Saxon’s command vessel, the Dreadnaught _A’den_ , two _Invincible_ -class Dreadnaught Heavy Cruisers, and approximately three-fifths of their fighter complements, which has cut the size of the One Sith’s armada down to half of its original size, while we’ve only suffered minimal casualties as of now.” The hologram of Nek Bwua’tu said to the assembled war council.

 

“Yeah, but that won’t mean anything if we can’t take out Krayt’s sorcerers before they complete their ritual to create a Force Storm, in the next two days, because by then our fleets will be decimated, and we’ll be vulnerable to an orbital bombardment by Krayt’s fleets.” Edaan worriedly said as he rubbed his chin in deep thought.

 

“ _True._ ” Aristocra Formbi of the Chiss Ascendancy said in acknowledgement of Edaan’s point before he continued, saying, “ _But, thanks to the information from Doctor Aphra’s assassin droid known as 0-0-0’s databases, along with all of the information that we’ve gathered from Natasi Daala;s memories and Black Krrsantan’s computers, we now know of several tombs that have entrances into the catacombs that lead to Krayt’s citadel, which will greatly help the upcoming flow of troops, once we begin Phase Three of Operation: Endgame in two hours._ ”

“Agreed. But, we still don’t know what other surprises and defenses Krayt might have planned for us once we enter the catacombs.” Jaina Solo Fel cautiously said.

 

“That’s why you have me and Edaan, as we can search for the hidden defenses within the catacombs without alerting Krayt and his followers of our presence.” Tau confidently replied.

 

“ _Good. Before we close this meeting, we have someone who has information on Darth Krayt’s plans._ ” Bwua’tu said as he moved to the side of his hologram in order for a female Mandalorian in black and gold armor to appear, and everyone who was on Korriban looked on in shock upon recognizing the woman as Rook Saxon, the commander of the One Sith’s secular navies and armies.

 

“Uh… Supreme Commander Bwua’tu, what’s _she_ doing in this meeting?” Vestara distrustfully asked as she raised her right eyebrow in suspicion of the leader of the Neo Death Watch being present in a top-secret meeting, while everyone else that was present simply glared at the renegade Mandalorian.

 

“ _Commander Saxon here is going to tell us what Darth Wyyrlok’s orders were for her and the rest of her fleet. Hopefully, it will give everyone a bigger picture of Krayt’s plans._ ” Bwua’tu said as he motioned for Rook to begin to speak.

 

“ _Thank you, Supreme Commander Bwua’tu._ ” Rook gratefully said before she began to speak, saying, “ _I know that you guys have no reason to trust me, but you must believe that I am here now in order to save the lives of the men and women that were placed under my command by the One Sith. When I saw the massive fleet that the Shadow Alliance had assembled, I wanted to stop so much needless death from fighting a pointless battle by surrendering my fleet, but Wyyrlok blackmailed me by threatening to cause my fleet to self-destruct if I didn’t follow his express orders. It was only due to Bwua’tu’s brilliant strategies that many of my men are still alive, and that is the only reason that I offer you all my aid in stopping Krayt before his madness further infects the galaxy._ ”

 

“Well, I don’t think that we can afford to turn away free help, but I will be taking your words with a grain of salt, just in case you aren’t on the up and up.” Edaan said, which Rook acknowledged with a nod of understanding.

 

“Well, if Vestara is being offered a second chance at redemption, then who are we to argue with a reformer?” Ben said in order to support his former apprentice.

 

One by one, everyone else who was present at the meeting nodded their heads in support of Ben and Edaan’s position on the matter, and Rook thankfully said, “ _I am grateful for a chance to atone for my failures. I promise that I won’t let any of you down. Now, on to Krayt’s strategies: Wyyrlok told me to keep your fleets occupied with my fleet waging a guerrilla-style war on you guys, so that you would bunch up in orbit above Korriban for Krayt’s Sith rituals that are going on within his citadel._ ”

 

“Wait, wait, Rook. Did you just say ‘rituals’? As in more than one ritual, because we already figured out that Krayt is planning a Force Storm to decimate our armada, which is why we scattered the fleets across the system? What else does Krayt have planned for us?” Tau blurted out as he listened intently to Rook’s debriefing.

 

“ _How did- You know what, never mind, I don’t want to know how you figured that part of Krayt’s plans out, as we’ve got bigger things to deal with right now, such as a massive earthquake that Krayt is creating with the help of ten of his twenty Sith Sorcerers in order to trap the Shadow Alliance ground forces underneath the catacombs once they invade the his citadel. The rituals will be complete in about forty-eight hours._ ” Rook Saxon said as she concluded her debriefing, which stunned everyone as they realized the depths that Krayt and his followers would go to, such as potentially destroying the ancient tombs of the original Sith Lords, in order to defeat their enemies.

 

“An Force-created earthquake.” Edaan despairingly said as the rest of the pieces of Krayt’s plan fell into place within his mind, and he sighed in anger and said, “This must have been his plan all along.” Upon seeing everyone turn to him for clarification, Edaan continued, explaining, “This whole planet is nothing but a giant deathtrap. Krayt draws us in with a promise with destroying his entire order at once, and he has our naval forces bunched together for the Force Storm to eradicate the entire fleet in one fell swoop so that the One Sith can escape in their transports, with no trouble, as their reinforcements will deal with any of our survivors, while the ground forces are destroyed or marooned by the earthquake, greatly weakening the major powers in the galaxy in order to make Krayt’s takeover all the easier, what with the most elite forces of each power destroyed in the ambush.”

 

“But now we know of Krayt’s trap. That is the first step in turning the situation to our advantage.” Tenel Ka said as she spoke up in her trademark humorless tone.

 

“ _Agreed_.” Azzim Anjilic Atirue replied before he continued, saying, “ _So, Krayt wants us to send in our armies to the catacombs in order for him to cripple our defenses, eh? Well, then, I say that we change tactics, and send a few hundred, a thousand, at most, of our best forces down to the citadel in order to prevent the rituals from being completed, as our regular troops will only slow down our most elite forces, while the rest of our forces focus on containing the One Sith within the catacombs, and keep evac shuttles on-hand in case they fail to eliminate the Sorcerers before the rituals are complete._ ”

Edaan looked at his Hutt friend in great admiration, and then exuberantly said, “Azzim, that is the most brilliant strategy that I have ever heard!” As everyone looked at the young Jedi like he had grown a second hand, he said in defense of his friend’s proposal, “What? Are you guys jealous that a Hutt came up with this strategy, and not the most respected tacticians and strategists in the galaxy?”

 

As soon as Edaan stopped speaking, Azzim began chortling in laughter at his friend’s rebuttal, with the Mandalorians looking amused at the Hutt and Jedi’s antics before Luke coughed loudly once in order to get the meeting back on track.

 

“ _Thank you, Master Skywalker._ ” Traest Kre’frey, the leader of the Bothan fleet that belonged to the Confederation, gratefully said after he rolled his eyes at the young Hutt lord’s childish display. He then continued, saying, “ _Anyway, the strategy would give the proposed strike force a great deal of flexibility, since they would have to be able to operate on their own in order to take out Darth Krayt and his most powerful followers. My main concern would be to ask just who would lead such a strike force, as it would have to be someone of great leadership abilities, and a great deal of flexibility, since they would have to lead and manage a thousand people from so many different cultures and governments._ ”

 

“How about Boba Fett? I mean, he has led the Mandalorians for over thirty years, and they’re about as diverse as you can imagine.” Edaan proposed.

 

Immediately after Edaan had made his suggestion, Vestara said, “Actually, I was thinking that perhaps you should lead the strike force, Edaan, since the last strike force that you led inflicted heavy casualties on the Sith forces before we were captured.”

 

“ _Well, I have a better idea. Edaan, Luke, Jaina, Vestara, and Boba should lead the force, as each person is a highly experienced fighter who is skilled in killing Force Sensitives, and is each a great leader in their own right, which will aide our strike force as they make their way deep into enemy territory._ ” Trista Zel annoyingly said, as she did not want this debate to turn into an argument on who should lead who, because the Shadow Alliance was running out of time to defeat the One Sith before they escaped Korriban.

 

“Fine by me. At least I’ll be dealing with professionals. How long do we have to assemble the strike force before it moves out?” Boba said as he put on his Mandalorian helmet.

 

“ _You will have three hours to put together the teams and move out._ ” Bwau’tu replied before he looked to Boba and said, “ _Fett, I need you to have Venku convince Doctor Aphra to cooperate with us within the time frame, as we need every piece of intelligence that we can get if we’re going to destroy the Sith._ ”

 

“All right. Tau, you’re with me. I need you as a bargaining chip in order to convince Aphra to give us the intelligence that we need.” Boba said as he made for the makeshift prisons that held Aphra and her compatriots, with Tau in hot pursuit of the _Mand’_ _alor_ in order to follow his plan.

 

While Boba and Tau went off to break Aphra, Edaan turned to Luke and asked, “So, how’s Master Sabatyne doing? She took a bad hit to the head from that Sith Trooper before we rescued her and got her medical help.”

 

“She suffered a bad fracture in her skull, but her wound’s healing nicely in a bacta tank on the _Nossor Ri_ , and she should be ready to fight again in two days, that is, if we are all still alive and stop Krayt’s sorcerers.” Luke said as a trace of humor laced his voice as he spoke.

 

“Good.” Edaan said in relief as he prepared to leave in order to help put together the strike force that would eliminate Krayt and his followers.

 

As he left the tent, Tenel Ka approached him when he was at a safe distance from everyone and said, “Edaan?” Upon hearing the Hapan Queen Mother’s voice speak to him, he turned to face her, and she said, “Thank you for talking with my daughter after Han and Leia were killed. She told me that you comforted her after she broke down, and I truly appreciate what you did for her.”

 

“It was the least I could do for her, since I did get them into the situation that got them killed.” Edaan sheepishly said as he feared angering a woman that could order him killed in a variety of gruesome ways.

 

“And it is greatly appreciated, Edaan. That is why I am coming with you and Allana when you lead the charge against the One Sith.” Tenel Ka said, which left the twenty-one year-old Jedi Knight flabbergasted, as he did not expect such a bold gesture from a prominent leader of a galactic power.

 

“Pardon my boldness, Tenel Ka, but are you sure that the two of you coming along is the best course of action, as the Hapes Consortium cannot afford to lose both its Queen Mother and its _Chume'da_ , since it would spark a civil war between the noble families?” Edaan hesitatingly asked.

 

“The Hapes Consortium won’t be safe until the Sith and their followers are expunged from the galaxy, Edaan. And, I need to be at the front lines of this battle since I’ve been forced onto the sidelines of battle ever since I became Queen Mother.” Tenel Ka ardently countered as she shook her head, then slightly smiled, and then continued to speak, making a joke as she spoke, saying, “Besides, this can be considered mother/daughter time, since there’s no better time to bond with someone than in the fires of battle.”

 

“Well, I guess your sense of humor still needs work after all of these years. Too bad that we don’t have any time to help you improve it, since we’ve got less than three hours until we enter the gates of Chaos itself.” Edaan said in an attempt to further lighten the mood, which made Tenel Ka smile fondly as she remembered how Jacen Solo, her former lover, tried to get her to appreciate his corny sense of humor when they were both students at the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin IV, and all of their adventures together before the traumatic Yuuzhan Vong War.

 

“Indeed, Edaan.” Tenel said as she wiped unshed tears from her eyes, and her expression returned to her stoic and serious expression, and she then solemnly said, “May the Force be with us in the coming battle.”

 

She then left Edaan with his thoughts as Adari, AG, Luke, and Sabine came up to him, and Adari said, “What was that all about, Edaan?”

 

“Oh, I was just talking with Tenel Ka about the dangers of her and Allana being a part of the strike force, which they’re going to join, and how, after all these years, she still needs to work on her sense of humor.” Edaan nonchalantly said, making Luke shake his head as a rueful smile creased his face as he thought about how stubborn both women were.

 

“Well, now that that’s out of the way, we ought to prepare a list of candidates for the strike force.” AG helpfully said as he tried to get everyone’s focus onto the issue at hand.

 

Before anyone else could comment on AG’s new sense of practicality, Edaan’s personal holocomm beeped, and he took it out and activated it, which revealed the angry image of Tau, which made Edaan fearful of a series of ranting and raving from his brother as he said, “Tau? What happened?”

 

“ _Edaan,_ _Nala Se pulled a Ko Sai on us._ ” Tau said, which made Edaan and Sabine’s eyes shoot wide open, while the rest of the people and droids present looked confused.

 

“How?” Sabine groaned out, exasperated at the setback in the intelligence gathering part of Operation: Endgame.

 

“ _Apparently, some_ di’kut _that was a guard for the witch decided to give her cell some basic commodities in order to convince her to help us, and she used the bedsheets to suffocate herself to death before we could get them away from her._ ” Tau said to the Mandalorian brigade commander, which made both her and Edaan to groan in frustration from the complete display of incompetence. But before they could say anything else, Tau continued, saying, “ _We did find one thing on her person once she was dead, a note on her personal datapad that was addressed to you, Edaan. It said:_

‘If my people can’t be restored to their former glory under the Sith, then at least I can make sure that your accursed Shadow Alliance is destroyed, and do my part to make sure that your foolish sentimental-based religions are destroyed once and for all.

Farewell, Edaan Palpatine.

Nala Se.’”

 

“Of all the stupid, irresponsible things to do, they had to give a depressed Kaminoan some bedsheets!” Edaan angrily said to the holographic form of Tau, who only nodded in agreement, and he then said, “Are the other prisoners still alive, at least?”

 

“ _Yeah. They haven’t killed themselves yet, but Aphra’s still not budging, even though we now know more about Krayt’s plans._ ” Tau said in both relief and frustration.

 

“Wow. You’d think that her mind was made of _beskar_ , what, with how stubborn and unbreakable she is.” Sabine said as she whistled in respect for their adversary.

 

“Anyway… Boba’s prepared to hand her over to the Shadow Alliance’s maximum security cells, as soon as the guards have done a thorough pat down of the demented archeologist.” Tau said as he got the conversation back on track.

 

“Good. And, this time, we’d better be ready for any tricks that she might have up her sleeve, as there’s no telling who might be sympathetic to her plight.” Edaan said in a deadpanned tone.

 

“ _Not to worry, Edaan. Like with Daala, we’ll have her guarded by fifty of the best guards form each of the Shadow Alliance’s governments._ ” Boba confidently said as he entered the hologram, and he then said, “ _Now then, we’d better get to work on putting together our strike force, as time is of the essence, and we’ve got less than forty-eight hours until we all die from a horrible earthquake._ ” He then shut off the holocomm, and left the five warriors alone with their thoughts.

 

After a moment, AG said, “I don’t recall ever seeing Boba Fett so confident in anything. Is he alright, Sabine?”

 

“It must be a side-effect of working with Edaan. He brings out the best in everyone.” Zeb said in speaking for his longtime friend, which made the elderly Mandalorian playfully hit the Lasat below the ribs.

 

“All right, everyone. We’d better get to work, because, like Boba said, we’ve only got a short window to stop Krayt’s maniacal rituals.” Edaan said as each fighter left to gather volunteers from each of their respective friends and allies.

 

_One Hour Later, Within Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

“Are you sure about this?” Darth Wyyrlok said to the holographic image of one of his agents within the _Megador_ as a powerful wave of dread began to course throughout his body, as well as a fear for his life, since his blunder might potentially doom the One Sith to extinction before their mission could truly begin.

 

“ _Without a doubt, Lord Wyyrlok. I saw Rook Saxon, alive and well, under guard as she was heading to the bridge to speak with Bwua’tu and the rest of the Shadow Alliance’s war council. Whatever intelligence she possessed is now no doubt in the hands of Edaan and his allies, and they’re preparing their strike force as we speak._ ” The female Twi’lek in a Galactic Alliance lieutenant’s uniform gravely said, which further terrified the Chagrian Sith Lord, who had, up until this point, had only experienced true fear as a teenager, when Darth Krayt took him on as his apprentice and Shadow Hand.

 

Knowing that it was his duty to report this turn of events to his master, even though it would potentially doom his life, he went to speak with his master, who was observing the progress of the preparations of the defenses for the Citadel, as well as the catacombs, through a large holotable. Once Wyyrlok approached Krayt, the latter said, “What is it that troubles you, my servant?”

 

“Master, I place my life in your hands, for I bear terrible news for you.” Wyyrlok said with just a slight tremor in his voice as he spoke, which spoke volumes of the terror that permeated his entire soul.

 

Sensing that Wyyrlok had much to speak of, Krayt motioned for his servants to leave the room, allowing the two highest-ranking Sith Lords to speak freely. Immediately afterwards, Krayt said in a low voice, “What happened?”

 

“One of my agents from within the _Megador_ has reported that Rook Kast has been taken alive, and she has delivered all of the information that she knows about our plans to Edaan Palpatine and his allies, which includes our plans for an earthquake to cover the entire planet, and the Force Storm.” Wyyrlok quickly spoke out before the fear took away his ability to speak.

 

Krayt’s eyes widened upon hearing this revelation, and he then boomed out, “HOW DID SHE KNOW ABOUT THE RITUALS?!? WHO TOLD HER?!?!?”

 

“I did, my lord.” Wyyrlok meekly said before he continued, saying, “I told her about the Force Storms and the earthquake in order to keep her loyal to us. I failed to foresee Bwua’tu’s cunning and resourcefulness, and you are now paying the price for my failures. I place my life in your hands.” Upon finishing his explanations, he kneeled to the ground on his stomach, and gave Krayt his lightsaber so that he did not have to sully one of his lightsabers with his own blood.

 

After a moment that seemed to stretch out for an eternity, Krayt said, “What else do you know, Wyyrlok?”

 

After raising his head so he did not have to yell, Wyyrlok said, “Edaan, Luke Skywalker, Jaina Solo Fel, Vestara Khai, and Boba Fett are preparing a one-thousand-man strike force of their best warriors in order to reach and kill the rest of the Sith. No words can make up for what I have done.”

 

“No, they cannot, Wyyrlok.” Krayt said in agreement before he then said, “Rise, Darth Wyyrlok.”

 

Expecting a beheading to inevitable follow, Wyyrlok got up on his legs, only to find his lightsaber being offered back to him. Confused beyond belief at what was happening, Wyyrlok had a bewildered expression on his face, which Krayt calmed by saying, “You will make up for your failure by preparing our contingency for Edaan and his allies, as I still have many uses for you. And, I will not judge you for one failure, as this can still be turned to our advantage, as we can still eliminate the best adherents of the Light Side of the Force in one fell swoop. It will just require a significant alteration in our plans. Do you understand, my loyal servant?”

 

“Y-Yes. Completely, my master.” Wyyrlok said as relief sagged throughout his entire soul, and he walked brusquely in order to head to the area within the Citadel that only he and Wyyrlok were allowed into, leaving Krayt alone in order to consider the One Sith’s next move.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on the second-longest chapter that I’ve written. And, it only took me three days to write, and about half of it was written today, on May 25, 2017. So, tell me what you guys think, as I hope that you picked up on the _Star Wars: Legacy_ and _The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies_ references in this chapter. Now, onto explanations: Yes, I kept Wyyrlok alive in this story, as he still has a big role to play in my story. And, if you recall, in the early _Legacy_ comics, Krayt kept Darth Talon alive after her first failure due to her discovering that a Skywalker still lived. Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, as it was proofread by Squasher for any things that could be improved. I hope that you guys enjoy, as there will be a lot more ground-based combat in this story soon enough. Well, that’s it for tonight. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Good evening, all of my fellow Star Wars Expanded Universe adherents! What’s going on with all of you on the warm day of May 26, 2017? I am physically exhausted, as I volunteered for about four hours outside in the heat at the local help center, and, after I had some pizza with my mother, I mowed my parents’ lawn, and boy, was it a challenge. But, I’m here now, and ready to write. So, have you guys realized that, as of now, I’ve written over forty-five thousand words in this story in just forty-seven measly days? That’s almost an average of a thousand words per day, which is impressive for me, as it shows my commitment to finishing this story. Speaking of my story, how are you guys enjoying it, and what do you think of the characters, setting, and plot of my story? Tell me what you think in reviews or PMs, as I desperately crave some more constructive criticism. By the way, do you guys know that, as of now, I have killed off five characters of my Dramatis Personae? Well, I can tell you all one thing, there will be a lot more killings before this story is over. Anyway, I’d better get started on this latest chapter, because I’ve got to figure out what comes next in my saga, but I will tell you this, it will connect to the first chapter at the beginning of the saga. Wish me luck. Oh, one more thing. Did you guys hear about the atrocious terrorist bombing in Manchester that happened a few days ago? I don’t know about you, but terrorist attacks like that just make me sick to my stomach, and fill my heart with a terrible rage. I pray that God will allow us to put an end to such grave crimes soon, as I fear that they are slowly tearing this world apart. Anyway, I’d better get to writing before I explode in fury, and that would be bad, no matter how good it might feel at the moment. May the Force be with us all in the dark days to come.**

_Ninety Minutes Later_

_45.50 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_In the City of Dreshdae_

“No. Out of the question, Master Sabatyne.” Luke ardently said as he spoke to the hologram of Saba Sabatyne, who, despite her still-healing head wound, requested to be a part of the assembling strike force that would eliminate the One Sith’s Leaders and Sorcerers. He then continued, saying, “You still haven’t fully recovered from the injuries that the Sith Trooper inflicted on you before Edaan killed him, and only the people in peak physical condition will have a chance at surviving the horrors that lie beneath the catacombs.”

 

“ _But, Mazter Skywalker…_ ” Saba practically whined out as the Barabel Jedi Council member wilted from Luke’s intense commanding glare.

 

“No buts. And, besides, you can still help the Shadow Alliance by advising Bwua’tu on strategic matters, as well as being his eyes and ears for any Sith activity, since we’re expecting Sith reinforcements to arrive within the Horuset System in a matter of days, if we’re lucky, and maybe hours, if we’re unlucky, which given our luck, will probably be the latter. And, I sense dark forces within the _Megador_ , which might mean that there are Sith agents within the Super Star Destroyer, and they may try to move against the Supreme Commander. He’ll probably need Jedi protection, and you’re one of the best warriors that the Order has.” Luke sternly said before he explained his reasoning for keeping Saba on the _Megador_ in a more sympathetic manner.

 

Saba, grateful that she would at least have a role to play in the Siege of Korriban, and relieved that the former Jedi Grand Master was still looking out for his friends and comrades, said with more than a trace of humor in her voice, “ _Very well, Mazter Skywalker, I will do as you ask. If this one iz fortunate enough, these spiez will expoze themselvez when I’m within arm’s length of them, and I can rip them to shredz._ ”

 

Instead of rebuking Saba for her aggressive behavior, Luke let it slide, as he knew that she sometimes couldn’t help her predatory nature, and did not want to leave her completely depressed, which would distract her from her new mission, and smiled in amusement at his longtime friend’s bloodthirsty sense of humor. “Saba, just promise me one thing.” He then said in complete seriousness.

 

“ _Anything, old friend._ ” Saba earnestly replied.

 

“Stay alive, as I don’t want to lose any other people that are close to me.” Luke deadpanned said as tears began to well up in his eyes as the pain of losing his sister and brother-in-law once again seared into his heart.

 

“ _This one understandz, Luke. And, I hope that you take your own advice, as you still have plenty of good years left in you. May the Force be with you and the others in this final battle._ ” Saba said as she ended the holotransmission in order to continue her recuperation.

 

Luke, after putting away his holocomm, turned to face Ben and Vestara, who were patiently awaiting him to finish his conversation, and he then said, “I take it that the two of you have finished putting together your portion of the list of candidates for the task force, because, if not, then I’m going to have to separate the two of you.” He added that last part with a wry smile, as he knew how professional his son and his lover were when the situation called upon it.

 

“Oh, don’t worry, Master Skywalker. Ben and I have our heads in the game, and we have our lists for the task force ready for inspection.” Vestara said as she rolled her eyes and gave a humorous smile of her own to the elderly Jedi Master.

 

“Good.” Luke said as his expression turned grim, and he said, “I need the two of you to promise me something.”

 

“Anything, Dad.” Ben earnestly said as he feared for his father’s well-being, because ever since he had lost his two best friends he had felt a hole in his father’s soul, a hole that Ben feared would consume him if he did not do something to help him.

 

“Promise me that you two will look out for each other once we enter the catacombs, and that you’ll keep each other safe from now until the end of time.” Luke solemnly said, which began to scare the two lovers.   


“Okay, Master Skywalker, you’re starting to scare me, and that says a lot, since I’m usually fearless.” Vestara commented, with Luke simply smiling warmly at the former Sith Lady.

 

“Don’t worry about me, Vestara. I just... have a strong feeling that things are about to change forever in the galaxy.” Luke gently said as he put gentle hand on Vestara’s shoulder, an affectionate gesture that surprised her, given their unpleasant history during and after the Lost Tribe of the Sith’s reemergence.

 

“Okay…” Ben said, hoping to diffuse this awkward situation, but before he could say anything else, Luke left his room in order to find Edaan and speak with him before the final battle commenced, but not before he found Kyle Katarn to discuss a critical matter with him regarding Edaan’s standing in the Jedi Order.

 

 _Ten Minutes Later, Onboard the_ Second Chance

 

“Let me get this straight. The two of you want me and Atai to be a part of the strike force?” Akku Sei II, Anzati master assassin, Mandalorian captain, and longtime friend of Edaan Palpatine, incredulously said to him and his genetic twin, Tau Palpatine.

 

“That is correct, old friend.” Edaan said in complete seriousness as he nodded his head while Adari, Artoo, Tau looked on and listened intently to the conversation.

 

“Okay. I can understand why you’d want Akku and his men on the strike force, what, with their experience with killing, hunting, and everything, but why me?” Atai Molec, Zygerrian governor, leader of the political organization known Zygerria Anti-Slavery Movement, and master mechanic of the Second Chance, skeptically asked the cyborg Jedi Knight.

 

“Because, Atai, we’re going to need the best help in maintaining our equipment, and, more importantly, I want my remaining friends close to me in order to keep me on the straight and narrow path, as I have a strong feeling that I’ll be facing my inner demons, hopefully for good, once we reenter Darth Krayt’s citadel, and I’m going to need all of the strength that I can muster when I’m down there.” Edaan said in explanation before he turned to face a silver and gray-haired Luke, as well as Kyle Katarn, who were smiling at Edaan’s choice of words.

 

“A noble attitude, Edaan. It is a good idea to have your loved ones with you in the thick of battle, as they can be a source of strength that can keep you going in the darkest of situations. But, it can also be a great danger, as you may not be able to protect them during the battle, and they could be killed or worse.” Luke sagely said as he walked up to the younger Jedi Knight, and clasped his hands on Edaan’s shoulders.

 

“I know, Master Skywalker. But, I just have a feeling that I’m going to need all of the support that I can get in order to endure whatever comes next.” Edaan replied in understanding as he began to grow concerned at the aged expression in Luke’s eyes, and then said, “Uh… Master Skywalker? Is everything all right?”

 

“Yes. Everything is, Edaan. I just wanted to say thank you for all that you’ve done for Ben and the galaxy. In my eyes, as well as in the eyes of so many people, you’ve redeemed the Palpatine name, and are a true hero.” Luke earnestly said as he continued, saying, “And, Edaan, I know that one day, you will be a great Jedi Grand Master, and lead the Jedi Order and the greater galaxy into a golden age.”

 

“WH-WHAT?!?” Edaan incredulously said as he jerked back as if he was punched in the stomach, while every other living person who was present had their jaws fall slack. After taking a few deep breaths in order to calm himself down, Edaan said, “Forgive me, Master Skywalker, but I think that you’re a few cards short of a full Sabacc deck, if you know what I mean. Why in the name of the Force would anyone accept me as the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, given my… tendencies to bend or break the rules, as well as my long struggles with my anger and darkness, and my unorthodox styles of learning?”

 

“Edaan, in the thirteen years that you’ve been with the Jedi Order, everyone has been so impressed and affected by your strong sense of morality, your empathy, courage, strategic and tactical mind, leadership abilities, and your capacity to never give up in the face of impossible odds, that the Jedi Council has allowed me to grant upon you the title of Jedi Master, effective immediately. You’ve earned this advance in rank, Master Palpatine. Now, kneel.” Kyle earnestly said before he adopted a more commanding tone at the end of his speech, which left everyone but him and Luke flabbergasted at the sudden promotion.

 

Edaan, too stunned to offer a half-decent refusal, did as he was instructed, and kneeled on one knee on the durasteel floor of the _Second Chance_. Kyle then activated his emerald-colored lightsaber and, as he moved the lightsaber from one of Edaan’s shoulders to the other, said, “By the right of the Council, by the Will of the Force, I now pronounce you Master of the Jedi Order. Now, rise, Edaan Palpatine.”

 

Bestowed with a new drive to stop the One Sith so that he could further help the galaxy in this time of great need, he rose from the ground and bowed in respect and appreciation to the two Jedi Masters before he turned to Adari, who was tearing up with tears of joy upon seeing that a burden seemed to have been lifted from her husband’s shoulders, and moved to embrace and passionately kiss her, which she eagerly reciprocated, and they stayed like that for twenty seconds before they parted for breath, as well as to gather their equipment for the upcoming journey back into the catacombs of Korriban in order to destroy the One Sith.

 

“Anyway… We’d better get ready for the journey ahead, as these next couple of days will decide the fate of the entire galaxy for decades, maybe centuries, to come.” Akku said as he equipped his blasters to his belt, and then put his stolen Sith sword on his back.

 

“Agreed.” Atai and Tau said in concurrence as they, and Artoo, came out of their shock of seeing Edaan being made one of the youngest Jedi Master in the history of both Jedi Orders, who rivaled in age only the man who would eventually become the Hero of Tython and then the commander of the Eternal Alliance, Davin Hawkes, and the two men quickly gathered their weapons, rations, and basic medical equipment for the soon-to-depart strike force.

 

 _Twenty Minutes Later, in the_ Aliit

 

“So, Edaan’s been made a Jedi Master, eh?” Zeb said to Sabine as he inspected his AB-75 bo-rifle for any damage in the ancient weapon of the Lasat people. “Well, I can’t say that I’m surprised. Palpatines always seem to rise through the ranks rather quickly in whatever they set their minds to, though I will say that he is much more pleasant and noble than his great-great-grandfather.”

 

“Well, well, and here I thought that you weren’t ever going to warm up to Edaan. I guess that anything can happen in this ridiculous galaxy.” Sabine said in amazement at her longtime friend as she finished tuning her customized pilfered Imperial Super Commando jetpack, and putting it on her back, while Chopper chortled in amusement at the insults that both friends were throwing around.

 

“Hey, Sabine, Zeb?” Mirta said as she, her husband, Ghes Orade, her grandparents, Boba Fett and his ex-wife, Sintas Vel, and her comrade, Dinua Jeban, entered the old CEC VCX-100 Light Freighter, and the former said, “We head out in ten minutes. It’s time for everyone to assemble, so you three better come on.”

 

“Right. Don’t want to be late for the next Sidious in the making.” Zeb jokingly said as everyone threw visual daggers at him for that terrible attempt at a joke.

 

_Five Minutes Later, Outside the City of Dreshdae_

 

As the one thousand chosen soldiers, which constituted many Jedi, Imperial Knights, Mandalorians, Galactic Alliance Void Jumpers, Hapan Commandos, Yuuzhan Vong warriors, and various mercenaries and bounty hunters, along with the Rodian Galactic Alliance senator and clan leader, Janek the White, gathered outside the city of Dreshdae, where many ships were assembled in order to head to the various factions of the Shadow Alliance soldiers, they conversed among themselves in order to try and diffuse the tension that knotted within the guts of most of the men and women who were gathered.

 

Once Boba, Jaina, Luke, Edaan, and Vestara came into view of the small army, everyone quieted down in anticipation of a very motivational speech that would embolden everyone’s resolve in order to finish this shadow war.

 

While Boba and Vestara stayed on the sidelines, and Edaan and Jaina stayed close to Luke as he began to speak, saying, “Good morning, everyone. First off, we’d like to thank each and every one of you for choosing to be a part of this final mission in order to eradicate the One Sith. Just coming here proves that you are among the bravest of the members of the Shadow Alliance. Now then, we are about to embark on what very well be a one-way mission for many, if not most, of us. If anyone wishes to opt out of this mission, do it now, for once we begin, there will be no going back.”

 

Much to the five leaders’ pride, everyone stepped forward in acceptance of the potentially suicidal mission.

 

Luke then let Edaan take the stage, and said, “From this point onward, we are entering the dragon’s maw, and it will take all of us, all of our skills, all of our abilities, and all of our teamwork, in order to stop Krayt and his Sith Sorcerers before they can destroy the Shadow Alliance and escape Korriban, wreaking untold havoc across the galaxy in the process. You all know your positions on the strike force, so, get to your ships, and MAY THE FORCE BE WITH US!!!” After he roared the last six words, the nine hundred and ninety-five other members of the strike force roared as they mustered their courage in order to endure whatever horrors the One Sith had in store for them once they entered the catacombs beneath the tombs of long-dead Sith Lords.

 

_Thirty Minutes Later_

_0.5 Kilometers from the Tomb of Naga Sadow_

 

Once the commotion died down, the thousand Shadow Alliance men and women then went into their ships, and they quickly took off in order to blast their way through to the tombs of Marka Ragnos, Naga Sadow, Tulak Hord, and Ajunta Pall, which were the four tombs that had entrances that led directly to Darth Krayt’s citadel.

 

Unfortunately for the Shadow Alliance, several shuttles, which included the ship that was carrying Edaan, Jaina, Boba, Luke, and AG-37 was shot down by turbolasers that were covertly placed on the way to the catacombs during Edaan and the first strike force’s incarceration within Krayt’s citadel.

 

Fortunately, thanks to Edaan and Jaina’s superb piloting abilities, the _Lambada_ -class shuttle only crashed with minimal damage about half a kilometer from its destination. A mere minute after the shuttle crash-landed, the five occupants of the shuttle made their way out of the ship, and observed the carnage that was unfolding in front of them: at least four ships were shot down, costing at least fifty soldiers as the ships were destroyed in a fiery crash.

 

"How do I get myself into these messes?" Edaan Palpatine asked himself as he reflected on everything that he had been through in the last fourteen months. It was so simple: gather enough allies to go after the hidden Sith order that only the Jedi High Council knew about, find and save Vestara Khai from the darkness that was consuming her, and return her to Ben Skywalker, his own teacher, for their own happily ever after, all the while defying and evading the entire galaxy, including his own Jedi brothers and sisters.

It took over a year, but he had been able to gather an army of just over one hundred and sixty thousand forces that was comprised of six hundred Jedi, fifty Imperial Knights, fifty former members of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, seventy thousand Mandalorians, twelve thousand Galactic Alliance marines, eight thousand Imperial troops, ten thousand Hutt mercenaries, seven thousand Hapan infantry, eighteen thousand Confederation troopers, twenty thousand former Neo Death Watch soldiers, twenty-five hundred Yuuzhan Vong members of the now defunct warrior caste, as well as their former Shamed Ones, now called the Extolled, the ten thousand members of the many various planetary militias and gangs that Edaan had managed to recruit to his cause, and the ten thousand Chiss soldiers that came to support Jagged Fel’s efforts to finally destroy the Sith in all of its forms.. It was an alliance the galaxy had not seen since the Zahn Consortium existed in the early years of the New Republic.

But instead, he was in the middle of a tremendous war between the Jedi, Sith, all of their respective allies. Every major force in the galaxy was involved, from the Jedi Order, Galactic Empire, or Fel Empire, as it was now called, Galactic Alliance, Hutt Space, the Hapes Consortium, Mandalorians, and so on, against the One Sith, the Zygerrian Slavers Guild, renegade Mandalorians, corrupt corporations, and untold numbers of Sith-breeded monsters, and he was caught smack in the middle of it all.

" _You're not regretting your decision now, are you, Edaan?"_ a masked figure asked him. That figure was a shimmering man with a Mandalorian mask, and a lightsaber clipped to his side.

"Of course not, Revan," he said. "I just wish the force could have warned me of this madness, that's all!"

" _You know that's not how the force works, my friend._ " Revan said while chuckling.

"I know, but it would sure come in handy." Edaan said as two more figures appeared.

" _The Force guided everyone here, but you brought them all together, to try and end the cycle of war between the Jedi and Sith, and restore balance to the force._ " Said Tau, the former Rakata force hound- turned Je'daii Ranger, as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn approached behind him.

" _You did what no one else thought possible. You created a powerful and vibrant alliance between Hutts, crime lords, Mandalorians, Jedi, and galactic governments. You brought so many beings into the light, and that in itself is a remarkable feat._ " said the Jedi Master. "Even more so for the descendant of one of the most powerful sith lords of all time."

" _Yes,_ " said Meetra Surilk from behind him. " _You have surpassed all of us, thanks to your unwavering resolve and commitment to the light side of the force._ "

"By the force, do you all have to come at once?!" said a startled Edaan.

 _"Where's the fun in not surprising you?_ " said a voice he had not expected to hear; Jacen Solo, also known as the infamous Sith Lord Darth Ceadus.

"Oh, you're one to talk, Jacen, considering you kept Allana a secret from everyone for years." ranted Edaan.

" _Heh, always hiding your fear behind snarking_ ", chuckled Jacen. " _Anyway, don't you have to save your crew and Vestara?_ "

"Thanks for reminding me." Edaan muttered behind his breath as he, along with his comrades, prepared to charge into the chaos that consumed the battlefield. _No big deal._ Edaan thought to himself. _After all, Jax Pavan and Ferus Olin survived many encounters with Darth Vader, so how hard can this be?_

**And, that concludes another chapter of my final story. So, before you constructively criticize my work, let me explain a few things. Like in the beginning and near the end of Paul S. Kemp’s third and final Expanded Universe novel,** **_Star Wars: Riptide_ ** **, I wanted to have the story catch up with the present, and I wanted to leave this chapter off at a good point where there will be plenty of action and bloodshed. Don’t worry, as I’ve said plenty of times before, I’ve saved the best of my saga for last. Hey, I just realized that once I write over eleven hundred more words in this story, I will have surpassed fifty thousand words in this story. That’s a massive number, and if I have my way, I hope to surpass my fifth story in word count. So, what did you guys think of my promotion of Edaan to Jedi Master? I think that it was well done, and it referenced Kanan Jarrus’s promotion to Jedi Knight in the Star Wars: Rebels Season Two episode “Shroud of Darkness.” At this rate, he’ll be the youngest Jedi Grand Master off both Jedi Orders ever (that is, if he survives the battles to come). So, what are you guys doing on Monday, May 29, 2017? Once this chapter is done and posted, I am going to do some homework for my online class, and do some reading for fun. Oh, I can’t believe that I almost forgot to tell you this: A couple of days ago, I bought the Xbox One Standard Edition of** **_Injustice 2_ ** **for less than a third of the price online, and I should, if I’m fortunate enough, get it a week from now. Well, I guess that that’s it for today. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Hello, everyone. Are you surprised to hear from me again on this rainy evening, which is on the day of May 29, 2017? Well, you should be, as I wasn’t sure that I should write more on this day. But, in the end, my love for this story, as well as my desire to write, quickly won out, and here I am. Anyway, what book are you reading right now, as I am reading American Wife: Love, War, Faith, and Renewal: By Tara Kyle with Jim DeFelice, and it is a very riveting novel. I expect to be done with it by tomorrow, as I’ve read over two-thirds of the book over the last couple of weeks. Anyway, what are you guys doing right now, as I’m listening to _The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies_ on TNT at this moment while I write, and it is just as amazing as I remember it. Oh, how I long for the old ways of late people like Aaron Dale Allston and J.R.R. Tolkien, as they either helped develop, or create, such masterpieces within universes that have captivated me for years. I am sure that many of you feel the same way that I do. Anyway, I am excited for June 2, as that is when ** **_Wonder Woman_ ** **gets released in theaters, and I am eager to see it. Well, I suppose that I’d better get to writing my next chapter, as I don’t know how much time I have to write, what with work and school and everything else that’s going on right now.**

**(May 30, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. How are you doing on the evening of May 30, 2017? I am well, as I have plenty of time to write today, since I worked at my job and did some homework. In addition, I have some exciting news to share with all of you. As of about four hours ago, Squasher’s _Star Wars_ and ** **_Hobbit_ ** **crossover,** **_Unexpected Jedi_ ** **, was updated with two chapters, and boy, were they amazing. I can’t wait for what comes next, and I highly encourage you to read and review his story, as Squasher could use the reviews, as well as the constructive criticism. Oh, and I’m almost done with American Wife: Love, War, Faith, and Renewal: By Tara Kyle with Jim DeFelice, and should definitely be done with it by tomorrow. Anyway, I’d better get back to writing, as the best is yet to come in this story, that’s a promise.**

**(May 31, 2017 Addendum) Good afternoon, everyone. How are you doing on this sunny day of May 31, 2017? I am doing splendid, as I just got back from seeing _Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales_ at a local movie theater, and it was AMAZING!! If I were a movie critic, I’d have to give the movie 4.5/5.0 stars for just about everything about the movie. I loved the ending of the glorious saga of _Pirates of the Caribbean,_ but I am also sad to see the series go, as it was magnificent. And, I’m expecting a big fanfiction to be updated today, so I have even more to be excited for. One more thing. As of now, I’ve finished American Wife: Love, War, Faith, and Renewal: By Tara Kyle with Jim DeFelice today, and am ready to read more light material, such as the rest of my _Naruto_ novels, and one of my _Lord of the Rings_ novel. Hey, I just realized that, as of today, I have written at least one hundred pages worth of content for this story in less then two months. I don’t know about you, but that makes me so proud of myself. Anyways, back to writing. **

**(June 1, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everybody! How are you doing on this fine and hot afternoon? I am well, if a little tired, as I recently walked two miles around my neighborhood, and, last night, just before midnight, Iron117Prime updated his TMNT (the 2003 series)/ Avatar: The Last Airbender crossover, _Worlds Collide_ , and boy, was this chapter a doozy. I can’t wait for whatever comes next in their masterpiece. And, I did some homework for my online class today, and got back some excellent grades from some of my previous assignments. I might just survive this course after all. Well, that’s it for today, as I’ve got a lot of writing to cover today. May the Force Be With Me. **

_Thirty Minutes Later,_

_44.00 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_Just Outside the Tomb of Marka Ragnos_

“Edaan!” Adari jubilantly said to her husband as he, Jaina, Boba, Luke, and AG-37 cut a bloody swath through various Sith beasts and Sith Acolytes. After a brief hug with Edaan, she sarcastically said “Well, it sure took you guys long enough to get here!”

 

“Well, a shuttle crash and fighting your way to save your loved ones from a near-certain death will do that to you.” Edaan jokingly said as he blasted a Togorian Sith Lord with a lethal burst of Force Lighting, causing him to uncontrollably spasm as he dropped his lightsaber, and, after about ten seconds of violently shaking, he fell to the ground, dead before his body hit the dirt.

 

“Nice shot, Edaan.” Akku said as he used his pilfered Sith sword to cleave the head off of a Shyrack that flew too close to the Anzati. He then continued, saying, “Robonino would be proud of that hit.”

 

Upon hearing his deceased Patrolian friend’s name, Edaan felt a hole in his heart deepen, and he resisted shedding tears at this time, as even the slightest distraction would more than likely get him killed. He simply steeled his heart for the carnage that was occurring, and continued to help decimate the various Sith and their forces until they retreated to within the catacombs after about ten minutes of brutal warfare.

 

Once everyone made sure that the Sith corpses would stay dead, Edaan and Vestara began to brief the nine hundred and twenty surviving Shadow Alliance soldiers that were still able to fight, while Luke, Kyle, Boba, Jaina, Jaden, Sabine, Sintas, Mirta, Venku, Ghes, Akku, Adari, Tenel Ka, Allana, Ben, AG-37, Armand Vorn, and the others watched with mixed feelings of pride and anticipation upon seeing how far the two people had come as people and leaders.

 

“Well, Skywalker, I imagine that you must be so proud of your newly minted Jedi Master.” Boba said as he observed Edaan calmly answering questions that various members of the strike force had for him and Vestara.

 

“He’s earned his rank many times over, Mandalore.” Luke said as he proudly saw Edaan begin to rally the troops for the charge into what very well could be the end for all of them.

 

“That he has, Uncle Luke. That he has.” Jaina said in concurrence as she kept a wary eye on Vestara, which Ben immediately noticed, and prepared to say something. But, before he could utter a single word, Jaina said, “Don’t worry, Ben, I believe that she has a genuine desire to repent for her sins. I’m just not sure if she can ever atone for her crimes, or if she can stay within the Light Side this time.” Jaina said in honest answer, but as she saw that her answer agitated her cousin, she continued, saying, “But, we’ve all done things that we regret, so she deserves at least a chance to make things right.” Upon hearing those words, Ben calmed down, especially after Luke put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

 

“Well, you’ll get no argument from me there, Jaina.” Mirta said in agreement as she remembered how she spent so many of her years full of pointless hatred and bitterness on a various assortment of things that were outside of her control.

 

“Anyway…” Sabine said as she observed that Edaan and Vestara were finishing up their briefing the troops for the biggest push yet of the Siege of Korriban, and she then continued, passionately saying, “This may be the last time that we see each other, as a lot of us might not make it out of here alive. So, if this is the end for any of us, then let me just say that it’s been a great pleasure serving alongside each and every one of you.”

 

“Same here, Sabine.” Zeb said in concurrence, with everyone else nodding in agreement as the crowd that gathered in front of Edaan and Vestara roared as the former of the two raised his arms in a rallying manner.

 

“Well, it really seems like Edaan and Vestara know how to get a crowd going.” AG-37 said in observation of two of his newfound friends inspiring a very diverse army of people to charge into the abyss.

 

“You’ll get no argument from me there, AG.” Jaden said in agreement as he prepared to join the small army in order to help them navigate the traps for the Tomb of Marka Ragnos as they made their way within the catacombs of Korriban, with everyone else following him as they each got ready in their own way for the all-but suicidal mission to destroy the One Sith.

 

_One Hour Later_

_43.00 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_Deep Within Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

“Progress report.” Darth Krayt commanded to each of his servants.

 

“I have the Sith beasts ready to strike the enemy force on your command, Lord Krayt.” Darth Snoke dutifully replied as he bowed in respect for his superior.

 

“Very good.” Krayt satisfactorily said as he turned to face his next subordinate, Darth See-Chok, and said, “What of the Sith Marauders and the remaining secular forces, See-Chok?”

 

“They are eager for blood, master, and await the word to do battle. I plan to join them once we are done with this final briefing.” The fallen Jedi Youngling said as his eyes betrayed his desire to do battle in order to achieve a glorious victory for the One Sith.

 

“Worry not, See-Chok. You and the rest of your followers will get their chance to shed more than their fair share of blood for the cause.” Krayt said as he smiled at the loyal warrior before he turned to the least favorite, as well as, in Krayt’s opinion, the least stable, of each of his followers, Darth Sedriss, who was once Sidirri, a former Jedi Youngling of the old Jedi Order who escaped Order Sixty-Six under the charge of Jedi Master K’Kruhk before, over the course of two years, fell to the Dark Side of the Force, and eventually became the Sith Lady that stood before Krayt. He then asked of the elderly woman, “How go the defenses for our Sorcerers, Sedriss?”

 

“The security has been tripled throughout the entire Citadel, and we’ve managed to eliminate all but a handful of the droids that the C1 droid that was a Spectre managed to reprogram for the jailbreak. We estimate that only ten droids remain, and they will be dealt with soon enough. In addition, the Sith Assassins are ready to ambush the paltry Shadow Alliance forces that are about to enter the catacombs.” Sedriss arrogantly said as she listed off all of her accomplishments, only to be violently slapped to the ground by Darth Krayt, who had a look on his face that could kill if looks were deadly.

 

“That arrogant and pompous attitude is precisely what got Darth Malleus, White Eyes, and Ship killed by Edaan and his allies, you short-sighted fool!” Krayt bellowed out in rage as he struggled to control the rage that coursed throughout his entire being ever since Wyyrlok revealed his gross error in judgment. It was fortunate for the male Chagrian that he needed every able-bodied man and woman to defend the future of the entire Sith Order, and that Wyyrlok was a man who rarely, if ever, failed in a mission. He then took several calming breaths in order to steady his frazzled nerves, and said in a less menacing tone, “Sedriss, the Shadow Alliance knows of our rituals, and is sending their best warriors to stop them before we can complete our plans. If we’re going to have a chance at surviving the coming onslaught, you must follow my orders down to the letter. Failure to do so would endanger the very future of the One Sith. Do you understand?” Krayt said as he pulled out a lightsaber and put it under Sedriss’s chin in order to keep the mad woman in line, as he could not afford to lose anyone to infighting, even if one of his followers was a certifiable lunatic.

 

After briefly contemplating fighting Krayt in order to prove her superiority, Sedriss relented, knowing that she could not win against all three of the present Sith Lords, and stepped back in order to kneel in loyalty to her master. She then obediently said, “I understand completely, Lord Krayt.”

 

“Good. Now, then, all of you, go and finalize the defenses for the citadel, because we need to keep the Shadow Alliance occupied for just under two days in order for our plans to work.” Krayt ordered his three of his remaining high-ranking servants, and they each bowed in respect for their master before they left to deal with their respective duties.

 

Once Krayt was sure that no one could hear him, he activated the room’s holotable in order to contact Sorzus, who was overseeing the evacuation efforts of the Sith’s stolen artifacts, and the children who would grow up to be Sith Lords and Ladies one day. “Sorzus, what is the progress of the evacuation transports?”

 

“ _Progress is moving along at an excellent pace, my lord. We expect the ships to be fully fueled and loaded within the next six hours. We only await a gap in the Shadow Alliance’s formations so we can take off to the safe houses that we have stationed across the galaxy._ ” Sorzus stoically said as she looked over her shoulder for an unknown reason. She then adopted a concerned tone in her voice as she hesitatingly said, “ _How is my father, Lord Krayt? Did you… deal with his error in judgement in a final way?_ ”

 

“Do not worry, Sorzus. I have given your father a chance to redeem himself by preparing our reinforcements for the arrival of the Shadow Alliance strike force. Once they arrive within the citadel, we will spring our trap, and force the rest of Edaan’s armies into our deathtrap waiting to happen.” Krayt reassuringly said to the Sith Assassin, which greatly relieved the daughter of his most trusted servant.

 

“ _Thank you for your abounding wisdom, Lord Krayt._ ” Sorzus gratefully said as she bowed in respect for her master, and then carefully said, “ _Master, if it is your will, will I be able to fight the Jedi alongside you and my father?_ ”

 

“Only once everything and everyone is safely onboard the evacuation transports, and not before, Sorzus, as they will be the future and legacy of the One Sith. But, do not worry, you will have your chance at glory soon enough, my steadfast ally.” Krayt said in a simultaneously commanding and sympathetic tone, as he needed to continue to impose discipline on his followers, but he understood the rebellious nature of all teenagers, no matter what their race or affiliation was.

 

Sorzus gave a grateful nod in reply, and ended the holocall, which left Krayt with one more servant to check up on before he joined the battle within the catacombs. He then contacted Darth Wyyrlok, and said, “How go the preparations for our army of true Sith Troopers, Wyyrlok?”

 

“ _We are well ahead of schedule, Master._ ” Wyyrlok confidently said as he held a datapad in his hand, and continued to speak, saying, “ _All three hundred Sith Troopers are ready for battle, and await you commanding them with your will, master. In addition, I have, with your permission, prepared to give orders to our agents onboard the_ Megador _, as well as the_ Nossor Ri _and other capital ships within the Shadow Alliance’s fleets, to assassinate the ship’s commanders and make each ship self-destruct once our naval reinforcements arrive, in order to create disarray within our enemy’s fleets, as well as give us a better chance of escaping Korriban. Does this meet with your approval, my lord?_ ”

 

“It does indeed, Wyyrlok.” Krayt satisfactorily replied as he gave a vicious smile to his atoning second-in-command. He then continued, saying, “You did well to take the initiative like that, as well as seek me out before you gave the order, as we cannot afford another repeat of Rook Saxon. Order our agents to wait until our reinforcements arrive within the Horuset System before they strike, because we don’t want to give the Shadow Alliance time to recover from such a devastating blow.”

 

“Understood, Lord Krayt.” Wyyrlok dutifully said.

 

Immediately afterwards, before Wyyrlok could continue speaking, Krayt telepathically said to Wyyrlok and the three hundred Sith Troopers, _Head to the ambush points, and engage the enemy with our regular forces once the Shadow Alliance strike force descends deep enough within the catacombs so that they cannot fight their way back out to the surface, and initiate a Base Delta Zero bombardment of the planet._

_By your will, Lord Krayt._ Wyyrlok and the Sith Troopers loyally replied through the telepathic link as Wyyrlok bowed and shut off his Holonet projector, leaving Krayt alone with his thoughts.

 

 _Soon, Edaan Palpatine, you and your wretched Shadow Alliance will fall, and the galaxy will follow!_ Krayt savagely thought as he prepared to join his followers in battle in order to assure victory over the Jedi and their allies, as he was not going to leave anything to chance.

 

**Well, that’s it for what’s probably the shortest chapter, hopefully of all time, of my sixth and final story. So, what did you think of Krayt’s schemes and machinations, as they will be a critical part of my upcoming chapters, and how Krayt was cunning enough to not reveal all of his cards to Edaan and his friends? Oh, and the clock is counting down to the endgame of Operation: Endgame? Can Edaan and the heroes stop Krayt and his plans, and what will the cost be for the Shadow Alliance. Only I know what will fully happen, and I will only give away one tantalizing tidbit of information about my future chapters: I think that, like in some stories, I will include a point or two where I include music soundtrack from a few movies, such as _Transformers: Dark of the Moon: It’s Our Fight_ , and _The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: Sons of Durin_ , in order to increase the quality of my future chapters. I’m sure that many, if not all of you, can figure out how I will use these soundtracks, so get ready, because they will be epic. Hey, can you guys believe that today is the start of the sixth month of 2017. Man, does time fly by when we’re busy. Anyway, that’s it for today, which happens to be June 1, 2017. Wait, I just realized that I forgot a very important character in this chapter. Well, I’ll just include him in my next chapter. Just try and guess who it is, I dare you. May The Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	15. Chapter 14

**Good evening, all of you Star Wars Expanded Universe adherents! How are you doing on the evening of June 1, 2017? I am well, if not a little tired, as I just finished mowing the front yard of my parents’ lawn, and I recently discovered a series of Mass Effect fanfictions that are written by Veyron722skyhook, a person from the UK who writes… rather racy fanfictions, if you know what I mean. I have to say though, that what I’ve read so far is actually very excellent. Oh, and, I am now reading** **_Naruto: Itachi_ ** **_’s Story: Volume 2: Midnight_ ** **, and I am almost halfway through the book in less than one day. I can’t wait to read the rest of the book tomorrow. Well, I’d better get to work on writing this next chapter in my magnificent piece of literature. Oh, two more things, I will soon, possibly in the chapter that I’m writing right now, if I feel like it, have Edaan go through a HUGE final trial in order to fully become the man, leader, and Jedi, that he was meant to be, followed by Piccolo’s motivational speech after he fused with Nail, which was beyond epic, if you know what I mean. And, there is an important matter that I would like to ask of each and every one of you. Can you take a little of your time to pray for my brother, as he will soon be heading to South Africa for a couple of weeks in order to help people within the country, and I am a little bit worried for him? It would mean the world to me if you did so. Anyway, back to writing.**

**(June 2, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, all of my friends and fellow Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers! How are you doing on this warm day? I am well, as I got the boxed set of _The History of The Lord of the Rings_ today, which brings my collection of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings words one large step closer to completion, and all that it cost me was just over eighteen measly dollars. In addition, I got David Day’s _An Atlas of Tolkien_ , which is an enjoyable read, and well worth the small price that I had to pay for the book. Anyway, there is one thing that is bothering me, as my right heel has been in some pain for the day for an unknown reason, but I am sure that some simple remedies can solve whatever problem is plaguing my heel. Well, I’d better get back to writing. **

_Thirty Minutes Later_

_42.50 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_Deep Within the Catacombs of Korriban_

_2.0 Kilometers From Darth Krayt_ _’_ _s Citadel_

_Well, no one said that this would be an easy victory._ Edaan morosely thought as he and his loyal tuk’ata hound that Edaan called Butch dealt with one of the dozens of tuk’ata hounds that were being controlled by Darth Snoke, while Sabine and Zeb dealt with Snoke himself, K’Kruhk was fighting his former charge, Darth Sedriss, while Adari and Seelah were fending off Darth See-Chok and several of his followers, and the remaining Shadow Alliance forces were dealing with the various Sith and their loyal beasts that were assaulting them with the fury of ten conventional armies.

 

As Edaan dealt with the tenth Shyrack in ten minutes, he noticed a hulking female lightsaber-wielding Mantellian Savrip charging towards him, all the while throwing anyone who had the misfortune of getting in her way into the bloodbath that was consuming the catacombs.

 

He quickly sidestepped the Savrip’s clumsy swing, only to find himself Force pushed into a hole by the same Savrip that eventually led into a cavern that had a series Sith sarcophaguses and a series of statues surrounding each tomb. After he spat out some dirt that he swallowed in his tumbling, he sat up and annoyingly said, “Well, that was not an enjoyable experience.” He then heard a several rocks fall down from the ledge above him, and he saw Butch leap down from the ridge and gracefully land next to Edaan, and then licked his master in affection and relief that he was all right.

 

“O-Okay, Butch. Th-That’s enough. Please Butch, stop, I’m begging you.” Edaan said in-between fits of laughter at his friend’s shameless display of companionship. Suddenly, without warning, Butch ceased his licking, turned to the ledge, and began viciously growling at where the Mantellian Savrip was standing.

 

“Look at you, Edaan Palpatine. You have the blood of one of the greatest Sith Lords flowing through your veins, as well as the enhancements that Lord Krayt so graciously bestowed upon you, and you waste all of your power on your so-called friends and the Jedi, who limit your power with pathetic morals and restraint. You could be so much if you joined us.” The Savirp said in a tone that nearly betrayed remorse at having to kill such a powerful Force-Sensitive.

 

“Yeah, that’s never going to happen, buddy. I’m a Jedi through and through.” Edaan nonchalantly said before he got serious and said, “Now, I’ll give you one chance to surrender, as I’ve taken out dozens, if not hundreds, of Sith, and I’m sure that a lot of them were much more menacing then you are. I don’t want to kill you unless it’s absolutely necessary. If you give up right now, then I’ll make sure that you get a fair and impartial trial. So, what do you say?”

 

The Savrip bellowed in laughter as she jumped down to Edaan’s level, and replied, “Yeah, right. Like I’d join the weak and powerless side of the Force, and ally myself with the one who’s allied himself with ten of my homeworld’s most notorious criminals, not when Lord Krayt promised me that my people would be able to rule Ord Mantell once the One Sith take power.”

 

“I see.” Edaan gravely said as he recalled that during the final decades of the Old Republic, the government of Ord Mantell allowed its immigrant population to hunt the native Mantellian Savirps for sport and meat, which brought them near the point of extinction, and only due to the wise and compassionate leadership of the old Jedi Order, and later, the New Republic, that the Savrips were able to reclaim a portion of their old territory, as well as stabilize their population. However, hunting Savrips was still an illegal, but widely practiced tradition on the planet, and few of its followers were successfully prosecuted.

 

Suddenly, Edaan had a risky, and potentially crazy, idea in order to gain a new ally, and he then passionately said, “I am sorry for what your people have suffered due to prejudice and neglectfulness, but I genuinely want to help all of the peoples of the galaxy, including yours. If you join us, I will do my best to convince the Shadow Alliance to negotiate a better deal for your people so that you no longer have to suffer persecution at the hands of opportunists and bigots. You have my word as a man of honor.”

 

“’A man of honor?’” The Savrip mockingly said as rage began to consume her being, and she ardently said, “Where was your honor when you and the rest of the Jedi Order abandoned the galaxy after Abeloth and the Lost Tribe of the Sith invaded Coruscant? Where was your honor when you let the Yuuzhan Vong conquer my homeworld, enslave my people like the Galactic Empire of old did, and butcher my family in their expeirments? Where was your Order’s honor when the galaxy fell into he Second Galactic Civil War, and hundreds of millions of people were killed?!?”

 

“I’m sorry.” Edaan honestly said as he prepared for what seemed to be an inevitable battle with this woman, and then said, “But killing more people won’t bring back your friends and family from the Yuuzhan Vong. They’d want you to look after your people, and lead them into a new age of peace and prosperity.”

 

“But they aren’t here, Edaan. And all I have left is vengeance against the galaxy that does not value peace in the slightest. Now, enough talk, and draw your lightsaber, as I want to kill you at your best in order to win Lord Krayt’s favor so that he keeps his word for my people.” The Savrip grimly said as she activated her double-bladed lightsaber and charged at the cyborg Jedi Knight and his loyal tuk’ata pet, who managed to barely avoid the woman’s rampage.

 

 _Well, nobody said that this would be an easy battle._ Edaan despondently thought as he used the Force to send a series of stalagmites to the Savrip, who took them all with incredible endurance, and then sent an extremely powerful Force Push at Edaan, who could not dodge the attack in time, and soon found himself slammed into a wall of stone, and then, as he fell to the ground, simply muttered to himself, “Ow.”

 

Butch, who saw his beloved master get hurt by a Sith woman, growled in anger at the enemy, and charged at the Savrip and bit and clawed at the Sith acolyte, who growled in pain and rage as she struggled to fend off this new and more nimble enemy.

 

Edaan, who struggled to fight the disorientation that threatened to take him, and, as he saw Butch courageously fight off a hulking Sith that was at least three times Butch’s size, he realized that his dear friend was in dire straits, as he was quickly grabbed by the Savrip and thrown into a wall, and Edaan, knowing that time was short for his newfound friend, began to fight off the pain that seared his mind.

 

He slowly got up to his feet, and, as he found the strength from deep within his spirit, shouted, “HEY!!!” Upon hearing Edaan’s voice, both the Savrip and Butch turned to face him, and he continued, goading the woman on by saying, “You want to face me in combat so you can take all the glory for yourself? Well then, you’ll have to come and get me, ugly!”

 

After a few seconds of the Savrip’s right eye twitching, as well as a menacing roar that nearly made Edaan and Butch’s ears bleed, the Savrip charged at Edaan, and he managed to sidestep the Sith’s use of _Juyo_ , and cut into the Sith’s torso, effectively killing her within seconds as she stood upright for a few seconds and sent Edaan a hateful glare, and then quickly fell to the ground.

 

As Edaan deactivated his lightsaber as he went to Butch’s position, he began to hear a series of whispers within his mind that were in the Sith Language. Expecting even further danger, he reactivated his lightsaber in defense of himself and Butch. Unfortunately for Edaan, his enemies could not be defeated by any physical weapons, as he saw three Sith Spirits come into Edaan’s view, and those deceased Sith Lords were Marka Ragnos, the final ruler of the unified Ancient Sith Empire, Darth Malleus the fallen Jedi Service Corps member Telloti Cillmam'n, and Edaan’s ancestor, Emperor Sheev Palpatine, better known to the galaxy as the infamous Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

 

“Oh, give me a _karking_ break!” Edaan cursed out as he saw the three dead Sith Lords Butch stood back up and began to growl at the specters in front of him. Edaan then turned to Marka Ragnos and said, “You are supposed to be trapped away in your tomb for all of eternity.”, as he referred to the Disciples of Ragnos Crisis that Jaden Korr played a critical role in stopping. Next, he turned to face Darth Malleus and said, “You, I know that you’re dead, as Tau and I killed you two days ago and left your rotting corpse behind.” Finally, he turned to face his great-great-grandfather and said, “And you’re just trying to feed off of my doubt and fears, and I’ve mastered my fears, so go away!”

 

“ _Oh, Edaan. Poor, simple, na_ _ï_ _ve, Edaan Palpatine._ ” Marka Ragnos sneeringly said as he hovered in front of the young Jedi Master, and continued, saying, “ _Your killing of a dark sider is what brought us back from Chaos, as the release of such a concentration of Dark Side from the member of the One Sith called to our sprits from within my own tomb._ ”

 

“ _And we were also called here by the anger that has festered in your heart, Jedi Master Palpatine._ ” Malleus insultingly said to Edaan, who did not rise to the bait, and simply remained stoic in the face of Malleus’s insults. “ _Oh, staying calm, cool, and collected, are you, Edaan? Well, we have a little news flash for you: You can never conquer the darkness within your heart, as it will always be a part of you, no matter how hard you try to eradicate it._ ” Malleus continued, which made Edaan slightly unnerved by the truth that was in the Sith ghost’s words.

 

“ _And besides, you still have a destiny to fulfill, Edaan._ ” Sidious forebodingly said as he hovered behind his descendant, and continued, saying, “ _You are so close to taking your rightful birthplace as ruler of the galaxy, and leading the Sith into a Second Golden Age! You can shape the galaxy into anything that you desire, and then you can leave that pathetic Keshiri woman behind so that you can continue our bloodline._ ”

 

Upon hearing Sidious insult his wife, Edaan’s entire body tensed up, and softly but threateningly said, “Do not go there, Sheev, or you will regret it.”

 

“ _What? Did he strike a nerve there, Edaan?_ ” Mallues false sympathetically said as he and the two other Dark Lords of the Sith finished gathering their strength for their ultimate attack on Edaan, and then said, “ _You’ll thank us soon enough for freeing you from the confines of your putrid and shortsighted morality, Edaan._ ”

 

As soon as Mallues stopped talking, the three Sith Lords then flew into Edaan’s body, and Edaan then fell on the ground and began to convulse as he felt his very soul being assaulted by specters with no trace of humanity within them. While he still retained consciousness, he sent out a call through the Force to anyone who could feel his call for distress, and, after about ten seconds, he lost consciousness, and his head fell onto the ground, with a greatly concerned Butch trying in vain to lick his master back to consciousness.

 

_Concurrently, In the Catacombs_

As Adari used Teras Käsi in conjunction with her liberated Sith Sword to behead a Duros Sith Lady, she heard Edaan’s distressed voice in her head as he screamed out, _Someone, help me! Three Sith Lords are attacking my sprit in order to possess me! Come to help me before it’s too-_ and with that, his voice cut off, which greatly frightened the young Keshiri woman.

 

Knowing that time was of the essence, she frantically looked around to see if anyone else felt Edaan’s call for help, and saw that Vestara, Ben, Luke, Tau, and Jaden were looking at her, and they each nodded in understanding. The six warriors rushed to where they last sensed Edaan’s presence, as they knew that the Shadow Alliance’s success could hinge on the survival of Edaan.

 

Unfortunately for them, Darths Krayt and See-Chok managed to jump in the way of the six Light Siders, and the former viciously said, “I don’t think so, Skywalker. I’ll deal with Edaan and his tuk’ata as soon as I deal with you and the rest of his loved ones.” He then activated both of his Yorik Coral lightsabers, while See-Chok took a fighting pose, and the two Sith Lords charged at the group.

 

Changing tactics, Luke and Jaden moved in front of Adari, Ben, Tau, and Vestara, and the two older Jedi held off Krayt and See-Chok, with Luke shouting, “We’ll hold Krayt and the rest of his followers here! Just get Edaan back in one piece!” Immediately understanding, the three free Light Siders moved to jump into the hole that the Savrip Sith made in order to find and retrieve Edaan.

 

_Concomitantly, In the Tomb of Marka Ragnos_

_Deep Within Edaan Palpatine’_ _s Spirit_

 

Edaan quickly awoke in the main hall of his personal ship, the _Second Chance_ , and found an unbearable sight before him, the gutted and strewn about corpses of all of his friends and loved ones: Adari, Akku, Artoo, Ben, Vestara, Armand, Atai, Azzim Anjilic Atirue, Jarael, Zeb, Robonino, Sabine, Seelah, Butch, and Tau, each having a horrified expression on their faces.

 

“No, no. Not real, not real.” Edaan said in denial as the excruciating pain of losing Robonino and Vua came rushing back to him, which he tried to let go of, only he could not do so for some unknown reason, and he began to weep at the prospect of losing everyone that was close to him.

 

“ _What’s the matter, Edaan? You can’t face the truth?_ ” The mocking voice of Darth Sidious said as his mummified form came in front of Edaan with a wicked smirk across his face. He then continued his verbal assault on his descendant, saying, “ _You’re just as weak as Anakin Skywalker was when he was a child._ ”

 

Finding his courage and rationality, Edaan stopped crying, and stood up with a determined look on his face as he said, “Wrong, Sidious. I know for a fact that Robo and Vua both died honorable deaths while fighting against the One Sith, and the others are still alive and fighting the good fight.”

 

“ _Oh, you poor and simple-minded Jedi Master._ ” Marka Ragnos condescendingly said to Edaan as he appeared, and continued by saying, “ _Don_ _’t you know that it’s been a week since we knocked you out? And in that timeframe, the One Sith have defeated your paltry strike force, and moved on to scourging the galaxy._ ”

 

“ _No. No, you’re wrong, Ragnos!_ ” Edaan said as he felt his strength begin to leave his body, and he struggled to stay on his own two feet.

 

“ _Oh, but we’re not wrong, Edaan Palpatine._ ” Darth Malleus said as his armored specter appeared behind the main scion of the Palpatine bloodline. “ _You lost the shadow war that you so foolishly started, and the galaxy is in chaos as a result of your failures. And now, your body is ours to command, with which, we will usurp Krayt as Dread Lord of the Sith, and usher in a Second Golden Age of the Sith_. _”_

 

“Are you three out of your minds?!?” Edaan shouted in disbelief as his legs began to wobble, and he continued, saying, “There’s no way that three powerful Sith Lords- Well, two Dark Lords of the Sith and a whiny old man- can manage to control my body without burning it out!”

 

“ _Normally, that would be true, but you are not like the other Force-Sensitives, Edaan. Your body will be able to withstand the corrupting influence of the Dark Side for decades, giving us more than enough time to start up a cloning program that will last us decades, if not centuries._ ” Sidious explained as he watched his great-great-grandson fall to the ground as the overwhelming power of the Dark Side of the Force sapped away the bulk of the remaining strength that he possessed, and all three Sith Lords began to cackle as they set to work on possessing Edaan’s body.

 

_Simultaneously, In the Tomb of Marka Ragnos_

“Well, I found Edaan and Butch.” Tau deadpanned said as he was the first to spot the fallen form of his brother, with a whimpering Butch beside him.

 

Vestara, sensing that time was of the essence, began to converse with Butch in the Sith tongue, and, after a few moments of interpreting Butch’s body language, she said, “We don’t have much time, guys. Edaan’s been like this for too long, and I can sense that his spirit is being overwhelmed by the three Sith Lords that have invaded his body.”

 

“So, how can we help him?” Adari worriedly said as she used her weak connection to the Force to feel an immensely powerful darkness begin to take over her husband’s body.

 

“We have to go pour our own Force energies inside of Edaan in order for him to have the strength to fight off the specters that are assaulting his being.” Tau said as he sat on the ground and began to prepare to act as a conduit for the transfer of Light Side energy into his brother’s being.

 

Immediately catching on to what Tau was saying, Adari, Vestara, Butch, and Ben got into a circle around Tau and the fallen Edaan, and each Force user and the tuk’ata hound began to supplement their Force energies into Tau, who then transferred them into Edaan in the hopes that it would give him the strength to fight off the three Sith Spirits that were besieging his soul.

 

_Within Edaan’s Soul_

As the three Sith Lords were nearing complete control of Edaan’s body, the Jedi Master’s eyes shot wide open, and he felt a massive surge of Light Side energy flow into his soul. He immediately leapt back up, which shocked his enemies, and they were even more surprised when Edaan began emitting light from his inner essence.

 

“ _Wh-What is this?!?_ ” Malleus said as he found his control over Edaan’s body slipping.

 

As Edaan turned to face him, the light from his body glowed even brighter, and he bellowed out, “YOU ARE NOTHING BEFORE THE LIGHT, FORMLESS SPECTER!!!” With that said, Edaan used his newfound strength to banish Malleus from his body.

 

Edaan then turned to face Marka Ragnos, and then roared out, “GO BACK TO THE PRISON OF YOUR OWN MAKING, SERVANT OF EVIL!!!” After a brief struggle, the form of Marka Ragnos dissipated from his soul, which left only Edaan and Sidious alone.

 

However, just as Edaan unleashed the wave of Light Side energy in order to banish his great-great-grandfather from his body, Sidious unleashed an equally powerful blast of Dark Side energy, leaving the two Force Sensitives in a deadlock, which surprised Edaan, who then realized how Sidious had gathered so much strength, and said, “You never planned to share this body with Malleus and Ragnos, did you, Sidious?”

 

“ _Of course I didn’t, Edaan. I created the greatest empire that ever lived, and I will be the only one to lead the Sith back to glory. And besides, you can never escape me, as I will always be a part of you._ ” Sidious gloatingly said.

 

“Then I’ll keep fighting you until I die, because I’ll never let you win. And, I have one advantage that you will never have: I have the strength of my friends and loved ones to lean on when I grow weak.” Edaan said as he finally realized that he was never alone in his struggles.

 

As both Palpatines struggled to gain the upper hand, five bright bursts of light appeared behind Edaan, which made both fighters stop their attacks and look to see that the Je’daii Tau, and the Jedi, Revan, Meetra Surik, Qui-Gon Jinn, and the deceased Sith Lord that was once Jacen Solo appeared, which Sidious could not believe.

 

“ _You will never win, Sidious. Edaan has the strength of the entire galaxy behind him in the fight for peace, while you’ve only relied upon yourself for your own personal gain._ ” Qui-Gon said as he and the other Force Ghosts poured their strength into Edaan, which allowed him to fully drive Sidious back into Chaos, and imprison him there for all eternity.

 

As Edaan turned to face his five dead masters, he bowed in gratitude before he said, “Thank you all so much for the help. I might never have defeated Sidious without the help of you and my loved ones.”

 

“ _You are welcome, Edaan. It was your admittance of your limits and your own struggles that we were able to come and aid you. As a result, we can temporarily bind ourselves to your soul in order to give you our power and knowledge, if that is what you want._ ” Revan said, as he and the four other Force Users offered their hands to Edaan.

 

“How would that make me any different than the Sith, as it was them that invented the ritual of binding ghosts to another person in order to gain more power? Besides, all of that power would destroy my mind and body.” Edaan hesitatingly said, as he began to back away from his masters.

 

“ _It wouldn’t be long enough for your body to decay, Edaan. And, we know that you would release us once Krayt is killed and the war is over. And besides, you and the Shadow Alliance need every advantage that they can get in order to beat their numerically superior foe._ ” Revan said as he recalled the story of the second Lord Kallig and how they took the power and wisdom of four Sith Spirits in order to kill their enemy, Darth Thanaton, a member of the Dark Council, and then take their seat on the Dark Council.

 

After a moment’s consideration, and a desire to help save his friends, Edaan reluctantly said, “Hm. Why not? All right. You’re on. But, if I go out of control with a lust for power, then you guys leave, understand me?”

 

“Deal.” All five ghosts said as they began to enter Edaan’s essence, and, after a minute of dissipating into the young Jedi Master, the transfer process was complete, and Edaan felt a new sense of serenity and calm as he looked at his hands as he took in the new sense of power that flowed through his entire being.

 

“Wow. This is unreal.” Edaan stoically said before his voice became animated and he shouted, “THIS IS AMAZING!!! I FEEL _INCREDIBLE_!!! YES, YES, YES, YES! I FEEL GREAT!! I CAN WIN! I! CAN! DO! THIS!” He then smiled with a newfound confidence, raised his hands in the air, and said, “Yes! I’m free! I’m alive! This is all a miracle! I’m awake! I’m wide awake!” He then began to laugh with a newfound joy, and, as he prepared to leave his subconscious, he heard Adari’s voice tearfully say, “ _Edaan? Edaan, please come back to me._ ”

 

Snapping back to reality, as well as remembering that he had an army to help lead, he accelerated his return to the real world, and mentally said, _Hang on, Adari. Here I come!_

 

**And, that is a wrap of the latest chapter of _Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War IV: Omega_ , which, as I said at the top of this chapter, drew heavily from Piccolo’s fusion with Nail in _Dragon Ball Z_ , which I thought was epic. So, what did you guys think of this chapter, as I think that this will be the last appearance of the ghosts of Darths Malleus and Sidious in this story? I hope that I did a good job of portraying Edaan’s struggles, as well as Edaan realizing that he can’t handle the whole burden all on his own and his vow not to let his newfound power go to his head, which can be considered a metaphor for real life, if you know what I mean. So, are you guys excited for more of my favorite fanfictions to be updated, because I know that I am, as they are masterpieces, far superior to my works? Anyway, how are you doing on the sunny day of June 5, 2017, as I am well, and am prepared to write a dark shocker in the next chapter of my story? I guess that that’s it for today. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	16. Chapter 15

**Good afternoon, all of you Star Wars Expanded Universe partisans. How are you doing on this cloudy afternoon of June 5, 2017? I am well, as I’ve finished** **_Naruto: Itachi_ ** **_’s Story: Volume 2: Midnight_ ** **and read over half of _Naruto: Sasuke’s Story: Sunrise_ today, and I should be done with the latter by tomorrow. So, what do you guys think of the excision of the Expanded Universe, because to me, I deeply resent it. Don’t get me wrong, I can respect some things of the new canon because I can integrate them into my head canon, but I just… It is difficult to put into words, but I will try. You see, to me, the Star Wars Expanded Universe was more than just a franchise, it was history of another galaxy, and I hate when people rewrite history to suit their own selfish or short-sighted needs (This is just my restrained opinion, by the way, as I’ve got a lot of anger and resentment towards the people that I think are ruining Star Wars, but I don’t want to offend anyone.). In addition, it was also an escape from the difficulties of the real world, and the hole that my grandparents left behind when they each died from a different disease. I suppose that the all-but death of the Expanded Universe has reopened those wounds, which still hurt, even after over five years since my grandfather died, and over nine since my grandmother died. Anyway, on to a lighter topic. As of now, I have surpassed fifty-seven thousand words in this chapter in almost two months, and I am impressed with what I’ve written. I can’t wait for you guys to see the final two battles, as they will be beyond epic and action-packed. Oh, and, before I forget, there will be a very dark scene in this chapter that will leave one of the ** **_Dramatis Personae_ ** **in a grave position. I assure you that no one but me will see it coming. But, I can promise you that the character from the** **_Dramatis Personae_ ** **will live. Oh, and, I will make a bold break in-between this chapter to indicate when I will ask you to picture the battle going on with the soundtrack of the music of _Transformers: Dark of the Moon: It’s Our Fight_ , and _The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: Sons of Durin_ , as it will make the battle much more epic and heroic. Anyway, I guess that that’s all for this author’s note. Have a good evening, and enjoy the chapter. **

**(June 6, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everybody. How are you doing on this fine day? I am excellent, as I’ve worked a good three hours at my thrift store job, and bought two great books today, and they are Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, By: Doris Kearns Goodwin and A Dictionary of Tolkien. By: David Day, both for great bargains. I can’t wait to start reading the former, and complete the latter. Well, I can’t wait to get ** **_Injustice 2_ ** **video game soon through the mail, as that will be a great game to play. Anyway, I’d better get to writing, as I’ve got a lot of bloodshed to cover. May the Force be with me.**

****

_In the Tomb of Marka Ragnos_

 

Edaan’s eyes snapped wide awake as his head immediately rose from the ground and he began to take deep breaths as the memory of the battle with Marka Ragnos and Darths Sidious and Malleus, as well as the memory of the powers that were bestowed upon him by Tau, Revan, Meetra Surik, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Jacen Solo, and how he returned to reality by the voice of his wife, Adari.

 

Upon fully recalling everything that had transpired within his soul, he turned to face the teary-eyed face of Adari, who then passionately kissed him on the lips upon seeing that he was alive and well, with Tau Palpatine, Ben, Vestara, and Butch looking on with relief at the loving display.

 

After twenty seconds of a passionate kiss, the wedded couple separated, and they quickly panted for breath, with the two lovers laughing at the silliness of it all in light of a brutal and all-out war. As soon as the romantic moment ended, Adari’s expression turned serious, and she said, “Edaan, what happened to you, because I can tell from your eyes that a terrible burden has been lifted from your shoulders?”

 

“Well, luv, long story short, after I killed the Mantellian Savrip Sith Lady that’s before us,” Edaan said as he motioned to the giant corpse that laid before them, and he continued his explanation, saying, “The spirits of Marka Ragnos and Darths Sidious and Malleus tried to possess me, but, thanks to you guys transferring some of your power into me, as well as the efforts of my true masters, I was able to banish their spirits to Chaos for all of eternity. Oh, and all of my masters temporarily bound their spirits to mine so that I could draw on their power and knowledge in order to lead our forces to victory. After that, I plan to release their souls back to finally become One with the Force.”

 

After a few moments of awkward silence between the six Shadow Alliance members, Vestara said, “Wow. You have the strangest adventures and battles while you’re alone, Edaan.”

 

“No argument there, Ves.” Edaan said in concurrence as he stood back up, and then got serious as he asked, “What’s the status of the battle going on in the catacombs?”

 

“So far, the battle’s even, but that could quickly change with all of us absent, so we need to get back there now, as Dad and Jaden are dealing with Krayt and See-Chok, and I don’t know how long they can hold them off on their own.” Ben said as he prepared to jump back up to the ledge that led to the catacombs before Edaan stopped him.

 

“Actually, Ben, can I lead the charge, as I’ve got a lot of newfound energy to use, and I want to know the limits of my enhanced Force reserves?” Edaan asked as a feral smile creased his face, which Ben obliged, as he knew how stubborn the young Palpatine could be when he set his mind to something.

 

_Three Minutes Later_

_Within the Catacombs of Korriban_

_2.0 Kilometers away from Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

Luke Skywalker was not having a good day, which was the understatement of the decade, as he was slowly being overwhelmed by Krayt’s quick and agile use of both of his lightsabers and the Force. Despite putting up a fierce and valiant defense against the Dread Lord of the Sith, Luke could barely land any effective blows on Krayt’s body, as the latter’s Vonduun Skerr Kyrric was all but impenetrable. To make matters worse, Luke was seventy-six years old, and his aging bones and joints were catching up with the rest of his body, and he was rapidly slowing down, which Krayt was quick to keep up on, and pressed the attack, quickly scoring several blows on Luke’s arms, legs, and a small slash across his stomach, causing him to fall to his knees and drop his lightsaber, which rolled to the ground.

 

The lightsaber was picked up by Krayt, who then said, “And so a legend falls. And with him, the Jedi Order that he worked so hard to create will fall.”

 

“You’ll never win, Krayt. Even if you manage to kill this body, someone even stronger will rise and take my place, and not even one death that you and your followers caused will go unaccounted for, not one!” Luke ardently said as he prepared for the Force’s sweet embrace.

 

“Then I’ll just have to kill the next champion, too.” Krayt sadistically said as he raised Luke’s own lightsaber in order to deliver the killing blow.

 

Just then, right when Krayt’s lightsaber was mere centimeters from Luke’s neck, a loud rumbling sound began to be heard near the secret entrance to Marka Ragnos’s tomb, and everyone stopped fighting in order to determine if this coming arrival was either friend or foe to the cause of the Shadow Alliance or One Sith.

 

Krayt, recognizing the Force signature, but unable to comprehend how his enemy could have acquired so much power so quickly, simply whispered, “Impossible.”

 

As soon as Krayt uttered that word, the ground around the entrance began to crack before it was pushed out by a massive telekinetic blast, which sent rubble in all directions. Strangely enough, however, all of the debris was directed at only One Sith forces, which suggested that Shadow Alliance Force Sensitives were attacking them.

 

**(Cue _The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: Sons of Durin_ theme.)**

 

Once the debris stopped falling, everyone heard the battle cries of Edaan, Tau, Adari, Ben, and Vestara, and the roar of Butch, as they charged out of the large hole with lightsabers and Sith swords drawn at the disarrayed Sith army.

 

Akku, seeing a chance to rally the bloodied Shadow Alliance army, shouted with all of the strength that his lungs could muster, “TO EDAAN!!! TO EDAAN!!!” All of the members of the strike force, even the Mandalorian members of the strike force, roared as they fought with a renewed vigor and rallied against their numerically superior foes, killing ten One Sith forces for every member of the Shadow Alliance that fell in battle.

 

Krayt, seeing that the battle was turning against his forces, turned to face Luke. He briefly contemplated killing the former Jedi Grand Master, but figured that his death could be used to rally the troops to Edaan, and decided that he would leave him wounded as a message of what he could do to even the best of the Jedi. He then grabbed Luke’s head and said, “This time, you’re lucky, Skywalker. But, mark my words, I’ll be back to finish what I’ve started.” He then blasted Luke with a quick burst of Force Lightning, and then departed in order to organize a retreat of his beleaguered forces back into their citadel in order to prepare for the final phase of the defense of Korriban.

 

As Krayt left to cut a bloody swath through the Shadow Alliance’s ranks in order to cover their retreat, Luke fell to the ground as he held his stomach in pain from the lightsaber slash that he received.

 

“DAD!” Ben shouted as he and Vestara ran to Luke’s aid, rolled him over in order to get a better look at his condition, and they both gasped in shock at the various wounds that covered his body.

 

He quickly got out his personal holocomm and typed in Jarael Chantique’s Holonet frequency, and in moments, the image of an exhausted Iskalloni woman appeared, and annoyingly said, “ _All right, what’s the emergency?_ ” Jarael said before she saw Luke’s fallen form, and abruptly said, “ _Okay. I’ll assemble an extraction team to your coordinates within an hour. Try to keep him alive and stable until me and my team arrive to get Luke to Dreshdae. Doctor Chantique, out._ ” With that said, she ended the transmission, leaving the two lovers alone with Luke as they applied healing energies to former Jedi Grand Master in order to try and help his body accelerate his natural healing process.

_One Hour Later_

_41.00 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_1.9 Kilometers From Darth Krayt_ _’_ _s Citadel_

 

As soon as the remaining One Sith forces retreated deeper into the catacombs, the surviving Shadow Alliance forces set to work at making camp for the next twelve hours, as they needed the time to recover from their wounds, as well as replenish their forces with new reinforcements.   


As promised, Jarael came with a highly-equipped medical team in order to treat the wounds of Luke and the rest of the Shadow Alliance forces, as well as five hundred men and women that were comprised of Jedi, Void Jumpers, Mandalorians, Hutt mercenaries, Hapan Commandos, and Confederation and Chiss soldiers in order to replace their fallen and wounded comrades. With these new soldiers, the strike force now had twelve hundred and seventy-six members, greatly exceeding its original strength.

 

Luke was lying on a makeshift bed within a large medical tent, with Jarael and two medical droids attending to him, and Ben, Allana, Jaina, AG-37, Artoo, and Tenel Ka quietly sitting near the outskirts of the tent’s inside, and, after a few minutes that seemed to stretch on for eternity, she left the medical droids alone while they were applying bacta salves to Luke’s lightsaber wounds in order to speak with the five surviving members of Luke’s large family.

 

“Will he pull through, Jarael?” Ben nervously asked as he fidgeted where he was sitting on the ground with the rest of his family.

 

After she removed her blood-stained gloves, Jarael hesitatingly said, “It’s… hard to say, Ben. He’s suffering from several significant lightsaber burns, especially one nasty one on his stomach, a great deal of fatigue, and whatever damage that Krayt managed to inflict on him when he blasted him with Force Lightning. And, to make matters worse, we don’t have the equipment or the personnel to properly treat him, especially since we’ve got a long line of wounded to take care of in the next ten hours if we’re going to get as many people combat-ready as we can before we have to head back to Dreshdae.”

 

“So, what’s going to happen to Great Uncle Luke?” Allana said as she readied herself for the probability of losing another family member, should it come to that.

 

“We’re going to have to transfer Luke to the medical facilities on Shedu Maad, where Master Cighal and her best students can treat him.” The Iskalloni medic said as the four organic members of the group sighed in relief, as they feared that she would have to let him die a painful death. She then continued, solemnly saying, “We need to move him quickly if he’s going to have a fighting chance of survival, so you’d better say your goodbyes while you still have the time.” She then turned to open the curtain to reveal the eavesdropping forms of Edaan, Tau, Butch, Adari, and Vestara who gasped at being discovered, much to everyone else’s amusement, even the battle-hardened warriors Jaina and Tenel Ka.

 

“So, uh… what’s the prognosis, Jarael?” Edaan sheepishly said as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment of being seen.

 

“Oh, like you don’t already know, Edaan.” Jarael said with no real malice in her voice as she gave the eight warriors, two droids, and one tuk’ata hound some privacy. Butch immediately went to licking Luke’s face, which, fortunately, did not wake him up due to the heavy sedatives that he was currently under.

 

After rolling his eyes in amusement at Butch’s antics, Edaan said, “Butch, come here, boy.” With that request given, his loyal friend came running to him, while everyone else looked on with various amounts of relief at the simple gesture, before Jaina motioned for everyone to leave the two medical droids to continue their work on trying to keep the elder Skywalker alive.

 

Once the twelve fighters were safely away from Luke, Tau said, “So, what do we do now?”

 

“We rest up for the next twelve hours, then end Krayt and his miserable Sith Order once and for all.” Tenel Ka grimly said as she watched her Hapan Commandos interact with some of their former enemies, the Mandalorians and Confederation soldiers.

 

“Easier said than done, Your Majesty.” Boba Fett stoically said as he, Ghes, Mirta, Sintas, and Venku came up from behind them and interjected themselves into the conversation. “Krayt still has at least fifteen hundred Sith left, as well as about five thousand regular infantry under his command, not to mention _manda_ -knows how many Sith beasts that Snoke may still have under his control. And, on top of that, we still don’t know where Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers are located, and we’re running out of time until their rituals are completed. If either of those rituals are complete, then we’re going to lose a lot of good people, and the One Sith could escape the system and disappear into the galaxy.”

 

“You’re not saying anything that we don’t already know, Fett.” Jaina said as she crossed her arms around her chest, and continued, saying, “It’s just going to be harder with Luke out of the fight. We really need his expertise.”

 

“Well, we’ll just have to make do without him, because war waits for no one, not even the best of us.” Edaan said, diffusing the discussion before it could erupt into an argument.

 

“And besides, don’t you guys know what Anakin Solo said to Luke and Ben when they went into Beyond Shadows?” Tau said, earning glares from the Solos, Jaina, and Ben, while getting quizzical looks from everyone else.

 

“Uh, this Mandalorian’s lost here, and I doubt that I’m the only one who is. What exactly is ‘Beyond Shadows’?” Sintas asked as she tilted her head to the side in confusion.

 

“Right, I forgot that a lot of you don’t have access to classified Jedi records.” Edaan said as he rubbed his head in awkwardness before he continued, saying, “Beyond Shadows is a realm within the Force that Force Sensitives can consciously go to in order to communicate with fallen Force Sensitives. Luke went there at least three times during the Abeloth Crisis in order to learn about the Force Psychosis that Abeloth inflicted on the Shelter Jedi Knights. During the first visit there, the spirit of Anakin Solo appeared to him and Ben, and told them to make each Jedi be a light on their own for the galaxy, as the Order can’t wait for a great Jedi to lead them into an era of prosperity and peace.”

 

After a moment of complete silence, Venku simply said, “And this is why I’m glad just being a simple mercenary. The Force is just way too complicated for my taste.”

 

“Tell me about it, Venku. I’m just twenty-one years old, and I already feel like a withered old man on the inside.” Edaan said in agreement, which made everyone chuckle as they went to see what they could do in order to aid the wounded until they needed to rest.

 

_One Hour Later_

_1600 Hours_

_40.00 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_Within Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

“What the _kark_ happened out there?!?” Darth Sedriss shouted in outrage as she used her lightsaber to slice a computer console to pieces while the rest of Krayt’s loyal servants stared at their leader as they awaited an explanation to yet another setback in their plans. She continued to rant and rave, saying, “We had the Shadow Alliance’s strike force within our grasp, but we had to pull back at the last second! What gives?!?”

 

“What ‘gives’, Sedriss, is that a supercharged Edaan created havoc in our ranks, he rallied the Shadow Alliance forces, and would have slaughtered at least most of us before we pulled back! Were it not for Lord Krayt’s tactical and strategic gifts, most of us would not be here to fight another day, and the One Sith would be eradicated!” Darth See-Chok angrily said as he struggled to keep his rage at this psychotic Sith Lady in check.

 

“Oh, please. I could have easily beaten those cowards, and taken the fight to the Shadow Alliance’s armies, no contest.” Sedriss arrogantly said before she felt her throat being strangled by the Force, and she saw the hand of Darth Krayt come into view, along with his whole body, and he did not have an amused expression on his face.

 

“Have a care, Sedriss, for I will no longer tolerate carelessness from anyone, even myself. We have reached the shatterpoint that will decide whether or not the One Sith will survive the coming purge, and I will not allow your insanity to bring everything that we have worked so hard to create come crashing down around us. If you, or anyone else, make even one microscopic mistake, then I will kill you with my own two hands. Do you understand?” Krayt menacingly said as he tightened his fist, and the remaining air from the Sith Lady’s lungs, causing her to frantically nod her head in understanding until Krayt released her grip, and she fell to her knees as she gasped for breath.

 

“Good. Now, leave me to my devices, and get a few hours’ worth of rest, for we won’t get any once the Shadow Alliance comes knocking down our doors, and I’ll need everyone at their best for the coming defense.” Krayt commanded of Darths Snoke, Sedriss, and See-Chok, who quickly left the command center, leaving Krayt alone to contact both Wyyrlok, and his teenage daughter, Sorzus.

 

The holograms of the two Chagrians quickly came into focus, and each Sith bowed in respect for their leader. Wyyrlok then said, “What is thy bidding, my master?”

 

“Are the Sith Troopers ready for combat, Wyyrlok, because in a matter of hours, we will need them, as the Shadow Alliance is ahead of schedule, has a fresh wave of reinforcements, and will march upon the citadel in a matter of hours?” Krayt asked to his loyal right hand.

 

“ _They are prepared for the siege, my lord, and are raring to spill blood for the Sith upon your word._ ” Wyyrlok dutifully said, which greatly pleased Krayt.

 

The Dread Lord of the Sith nodded in acknowledgment of Wyyrlok’s efforts, and then turned to Sorzus and said, “Will the evacuation transports be ready to go within the next two hours, for I fear that the Jedi and their allies will soon march upon the citadel, and I don’t want them discovering our failsafe, should the worst come to pass.”

 

“ _They merely await an opening for safe passage out of the Horuset System, Lord Krayt._ ” Sorzus satisfyingly said, which took a great burden off of Krayt’s chest, as he knew that the children would be the future of the One Sith, no matter what the outcome of tomorrow’s final battle would be.

 

“Very good, both of you. Get some rest, and then report to me in five hours, as the Shadow Alliance’s strike force will attack the Citadel.” Krayt said in satisfaction, and the two Chagrians bowed in acknowledgment of Krayt’s order, and cut off the Holonet feed, leaving Krayt alone with his thoughts.

 

 _May the Dark Side of the Force guide us in the forty hours to come, for the future of the galaxy will depend on what transpires within that timeframe._ Krayt grimly thought as a searing pain began to occur within his chest, which caused him to hiss in pain as he immediately knew what the cause was, and mentally curse, _May the Yuuzhan Vong Shapers that cursed me rot in Chaos for all of eternity for what they did to me!_

 

As soon as he was done mentally ranting and raving, he focused the Dark Side of the Force and his indomitable will in his body, and the pain faded as quickly as it came, allowing him to focus on planning the defense of his citadel.

 

**Well, that ends another chapter of my final story. So, what did you guys think? Now, before you try to crucify me for leaving Luke like that, let me assure you that he will not die from Krayt’s wounds. Whether he will survive this story or not, that will be up to the Will of the Force. Now, please don’t contradict me on the music promise made in the first author’s note, as I have a good reason for not keeping my promise. See, I realized that I couldn’t, or shouldn’t, for that matter, include both songs in this chapter, as that would be going too far. So, I’ll include _Transformers: Dark of the Moon: It’s Our Fight_ in another chapter that’s heavy with warfare. By the way, I hope that you all enjoyed that Legacy comics reference that I put in there at the end of this chapter, as there will be more to come, so do not worry about that. So, onto more pleasant matters. I saw ** **_Wonder Woman_ ** **with my mother today on June 8, 2017, and we both loved it! I can’t wait for _Justice League_ to come out in November. The next movie that I’m going to see is _Transformers: The Last Knight_ , and I can’t wait for the next installment in the blockbuster saga. Oh, and, as of yesterday, I am reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Children of Hurin_ , and I am enjoying it very much. And, as of now, I’ve surpassed sixty thousand words in this story, and am about to surpass sixty-one thousand. I don’t know about you, but for me, that is amazing, especially since I’ve written over a third of this chapter today. Well, I guess that that’s it for today. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	17. Chapter 16

**Good afternoon, all of you Star Wars Expanded Universe believers. Now, before I go any further, I’d just like to say Happy Birthday to Master Skywalker 121, as yesterday was their birthday, and I they turned eighteen on June 8, 2017, so go and email them wishing them a good year. Anyway, how are all of you doing on the warm afternoon of June 9, 2017? I am well, as I will soon order David Day’s _The Battles of Tolkien_ , which I know that I will enjoy very much. Anyway, last chapter, I left things off at a pretty grim point, what, with Luke being heavily wounded, and Krayt preparing for the endgame of the Shadow Alliance’s Operation: Endgame with his trump cards in reserve. But, don’t worry, this chapter won’t be very dark, it will deal with the interactions of the Edaan and the friends and allies that he has made over the course of my saga as they prepare for one final battle. I’m sure that most of you will know who wins, but the real question is what will the cost be for our heroes? Well, I’d better get started on this chapter, as I’ve got at least four thousand words of Star Wars Expanded Universe gold to write. May the Force be with us as I work to complete the final story in my tribute to the greatest saga of all time.**

**(7:49 PM Addendum.) Good evening, all lovers of fanfiction. How are you doing on this fine night? I am ecstatic and giddy, because two hours and five minutes ago, Powerslammer updated his greatest story yet, _Rajmael of Clan Lavellan_ , and it was literary gold! I can’t wait for the final few chapters of his brilliant addition to his interpretation of the Dragon Age saga, as well as his review of my final story, as it was he who inspired me to write this saga to begin with. And, who knows. Lord willing, maybe both of our sagas will one day become official stories, as his are far superior to mine, and I just want the Expanded Universe to continue (With Vestara Khai redeemed and with Ben Skywalker, of course, as I loved that relationship immensely, and hated how the higher-ups left those two great characters in _Star Wars: Crucible_ ). **

**(June 11, 2017 Addendum.) Good evening, everyone. How are you on this cool night? I am alright, as I have read a good chapter of Squasher’s _Unexpected Jedi_ story, and it was a good battle chapter. I can’t wait for the Siege of Imladris. By the way, I am almost done with _The Children of Hurin_ , and it was a splendid book. I can’t wait for the next book that belong to the universe that is a part of _The Lord of the Rings_ , as it will be, without a doubt, literary gold. Well, back to writing. **

**(June 13, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everyone. How are you doing today? I am well, as I’ve done some homework, and have read Squasher’s latest chapter of _Unexpected Jedi_ , which was updated again today, and it was great. I really enjoyed the reference to the Mouth of Sauron from the Black Numenorean known as Arthinor, and the coming of the Battle of Imladris. Oh, and, GuardianAngel87, thank you for following my story, as I appreciate that you enjoy my story, as it is one of the reasons that I am writing. Well, I’d better get back to writing. May the Force be with me.**

_Two Hours Later_

_1800 Hours_

_38.00 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

 

As Luke rested from the numerous injuries that he had sustained from Darth Krayt, he found himself sitting on the bed in his cabin within the _Jade Shadow_ , with his deceased wife, Mara Jade Skywalker, sitting right next to him, with a small smile on her lips as she gently kissed her husband on his lips.

 

Once Mara’s lips separated from Luke’s he hoarsely said, “Mara?”

 

Mara then jokingly said, “ _Who else would it be, Farmboy?_ ”

 

Upon hearing the nickname that Mara came up with for him, Luke knew it was her, and he quickly wrapped his arms around her back, and kissed her fiercely, which she returned with equal fervor, as it had been seventeen years since the last time they had touched each other, and they were intent on making the most out of the time that they had left together.

 

After a few minutes of kissing and groaning into each other’s mouths, they separated, and then laughed at the silliness of it all. Luke then said, “ _Mara, how are you here? I haven’t seen you since Abeloth was defeated, and that seems like a lifetime ago._ ”

 

“ _I’ve been watching over you from the Netherworld of the Force ever since that day, my love. And I’ve also been watching Ben and his apprentice, and I am very surprised with how each of them have turned out._ ” Mara honestly said, as she knew that her time here was limited to within Luke’s dreams. “ _As for why I’m here, I came to tell you that your time here is almost over, and the pain that you’ve had to endure for so long will finally vanish, and we will finally be reunited._ ”

 

Luke was rendered speechless upon hearing those words, and could not come up with an appropriate response. Mara, understanding Luke’s shock, humorously said, “ _Ronto got your tongue, Farmboy?_ ”

 

“You could say that, Mara.” Luke said as he took in the information that Mara shared with him, and realized that, if Mara’s information was accurate, then he would soon die and leave his remaining loved ones behind to face the galaxy alone. “I just… don’t want to leave Ben, Jaina, and Allana alone to face the galaxy all on their own.” Luke hesitatingly said.

 

“ _They won’t be alone, Luke. They’ll have the support of the Jedi Order and the entire galaxy by their sides, as well as each of their loved ones. Speaking of which, I know that you have doubts about Edaan Palpatine and Vestara Khai, which aren’t entirely unwarranted, given their history and their ancestry._ ” Mara reassuringly said before she got serious.

 

“I do trust the two of them. It’s just that… I am worried that each of them are going to face great trials in the hours to come, and I don’t know if they can overcome whatever obstacles that the Force has placed in their way.” Luke said in defense of Edaan and Vestara.

 

“ _Well then, trust in Ben and Adari to guide each of their lovers to do what is right, and to stop them should the worst come to pass._ ” Mara said as she rubbed circles into her husband’s back, which soothed his anxiety and fears.

 

“I will, especially since I can’t fight anymore. Krayt really did a number on me when we dueled, and I don’t think that I’ll ever be able to fight again.” Luke said in agreement as he confessed his wounds to his wife.

 

“ _Then you will have to trust in the Order that you built from nothing, and the armies that Edaan managed to raise with nothing but his sheer will and determination, as they will carry on the fight in the name of all of the previous people that gave their lives in the name of peace and justice._ ” Mara said as her form began to fade away. However, before her body completely vanished, she whispered into Luke’s ear, “ _I’ll see you soon, Farmboy._ ”

 

_1.9 Kilometers From Darth Krayt_ _’_ _s Citadel_

_In Doctor Jarael Chantique_ _’_ _s Medical Tent_

 

Luke’s head snapped wide open as he awoke from the pleasant dream that he was experiencing with his late wife, and found two 2-1B medical droids, as well as Edaan’s medic, Jarael Chantique, operating on his lightsaber wounds.

 

Jarael was obviously shocked by Luke’s premature awakening, and said to the two droids, “Prepare another dose of sedatives for Master Skywalker. He’s woken up from his sleep.”

 

“No, Doctor Chantique. I need to speak to Ben, Edaan, and the others, and it has to be now, before I’m shipped back to Shedu Maad.” Luke ardently said in refusal.

 

Jarael, seeing the determination in Luke’s eyes that rivaled Edaan’s look when he was hell-bent on achieving his goals, and relented, saying into her comlink, “Edaan, can you get, Ben, Allana, Vestara, Tau, Jaina, Artoo, and AG-37, and have them come into Master Skywalker’s tent, as he urgently needs to speak with all of you.”

 

“ _What?!?_ ” Edaan and Adari said in shock as they swallowed whatever food they were eating, and Edaan continued, saying, “ _I thought that you were operating on Master Skywalker, and that he would be knocked out for another two hours!!_ ”

 

“Well, apparently, something snapped him out of the sedative-induced blackout, and now he wants all of you here without delay, so hurry up, as I don’t know how long Master Skywalker can last without us continuing the operation.” Jarael said in complete seriousness in a tone that would brook no argument, and deactivated the comlink, before she turned to face Luke, and said, “Knowing Edaan, he’ll find the others quickly, and they should be herein fifteen minutes, half an hour at the most.”

 

“Good. My news can’t wait too long, because everyone needs to hear what I have to say.” Luke solemnly said as he mentally prepared himself to bear everyone’s pain after he revealed what Mara had told him.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

_37.60 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

 

“Dad? Are you alright?” Ben worriedly said as he, Vestara, Edaan, Tau, Jaina, Allana, Adari, Artoo, and AG-37 came into the tent, while Jarael applied several bacta patches on Luke’s lightsaber burns in order to give him some much needed healing and relief.

 

“Thank you all for coming right away, everyone. I have some galaxy-shattering news to share with all of you, and I need you to be strong, because I know that it will be hard to take.” Luke said as he took a deep breath and simply said, “I’m dying.”

 

Upon saying those simple two words, every living person in the room, including Jarael, exhibited horror and shock through the Force, and there was complete and utter silence in the tent, which did not please Luke. So, to diffuse the tension, he attempted a joke by saying, “And here I thought that Jaina and I took things too seriously.”

 

“I’m sorry, Uncle Luke, but, given the severity of what you’ve just told us, I don’t think that a joke is the best thing to say right now.” Jaina said as she started to regain control of her bearings.

 

“What makes you think that you are dying, Luke?” AG-37 said in a near-futile attempt to put everyone’s minds at ease.

 

“Because, AG, I had a vision that had Mara in it, and she told me that it was almost time for me to go to the Netherworld of the Force.” Luke seriously said, which further shocked the ten people and droids that were paying attention to the conversation.

 

“When did you speak with Mom, Dad?” Ben hoarsely said as Vestara put a hand on his shoulder in order to comfort her lover, which had little effect, as Ben’s mind was in an entirely different galaxy at this point.

 

“While I was knocked out, Ben. And she wanted me to tell you Allana, and Jaina something of vital importance. She wanted me to tell you that you will never be alone, as you will have your loved ones to guide you through your grief.” Luke consolingly said, which made the three family relatives glad that Mara was still thinking about them. Luke then continued, saying, “Also, she warned me that Vestara and Edaan will soon face great trials, and for everyone else to place their trust in the Force for the two of you to overcome them.”

 

“Well, that sounds like Aunt Mara to me.” Jaina said as she considered Luke’s words, and shot a glance at both Edaan and Vestara, who quickly picked up on it, and shot slightly irritated glares at the Galactic Empress, but did not act on their newfound anger, as this was a very important moment for everyone present.

 

“Uncle Luke, why do you have to go? I don’t want to lose any more family to the Sith.” Allana tearfully said as she silently wept.

 

“Because, Allana, your great-uncle has given so much of himself to the galaxy, that, like Master Yoda, it’s time for him to rest, and let the other generations carry on the burden of protecting the galaxy, as well as leading the galaxy into a new era of true and lasting peace.” Edaan said as he similarly felt a great sadness overtake him, but he understood why Luke was dying. He then added, “Plus, it doesn’t help when he just lost his sister and brother-in-law to a Sith meditation sphere. Losing Leia and Han must have broken his heart, especially since he knew the two of them for over fifty years.”

 

“That’s exactly what it is, Edaan.” Luke said in confirmation of Edaan’s reasoning at the situation. He then continued, saying, “I don’t know how much time that I have left, but I’m going to miss all of you so much. I need each of you to promise me something.”

 

Artoo rotated his head around frantically as he struggled to process the newfound information, so Ben was left to tearfully say, “Whatever you want, Dad.”

 

“Promise me that you’ll look out for each other, and watch each other’s backs, both in Krayt’s citadel, and in the greater galaxy.” Luke implored to everyone who was present. “The galaxy is counting on you all to help end the Sith threat, and lead it into a lasting peace.”

 

As everyone nodded in order to make the promise that Luke asked of them, and Luke then wryly smiled and said, “One more thing. Can the rest of you leave me while I talk with Ben and Vestara?”

 

Wondering what Luke had to say to the two lovers, but not wanting to aggravate the dying Jedi Master, Jaina, Edaan, and the others left the tent in order to give the three people some much-needed privacy.

 

As soon as Artoo was the last being to leave the tent, Vestara nervously asked, “So, what exactly is this about, Master Skywalker?”

 

“I wanted to talk to the two of you about your burgeoning relationship.” Luke said in complete seriousness, which agitated the two lovers, who began to fidget where they were standing, and that amused the former Jedi Grand Master.

 

“And… What exactly do you want to specifically talk to us about regarding our relationship?” Ben said as he was equally afraid of the inevitable disapproval from his father about the two paramours.

 

“I just want to make sure that you two won’t do anything crazy once I’m gone, because parents tend to worry about their kids and the people that they fall in love with.” Luke reassuringly said as he warmly smiled at his son and his girlfriend.

 

“Well, that would depend on your definition of ‘crazy’, Master Skywalker.” Vestara cautiously replied, suspecting that he knew about their previous lovemaking event over twenty-four hours ago.

 

“I’m talking of how each of you managed to bed the other a day ago, and formed a Force Bond that resulted from your little affair.” Luke said in complete seriousness, which left both Ben and Vestara speechless as their jaws fell down. After several moments of dead silence, Luke then had an amused smile lining his face, and said, “Oh, relax, you two. The only reason that I know is because Adari told the rest of my family after Edaan told her, and the only one that was upset by the development was Han, but he eventually came around before Ship killed him.”

 

“Well, at least no one didn’t freak out too much.” Ben said as he was grateful that his uncle put aside his understandable grudge against Vestara in his final moments.

 

“Ben, Vestara. I need the two of you to promise me something, and I need it now, before I’m shipped back to Shedu Maad.” Luke said in complete seriousness as he began to breathe heavily, which scared the two lovers.

 

“Whatever you want, Master Skywalker.” Vestara said as she felt her heart well up at the founder of the second Jedi Order struggling to breathe.

 

“Promise me that, when the two of you marry, you will both love and cherish each other until the… end of your lives.” Luke said as he began to feel an automatic sedative take effect, and he began to lose consciousness.

 

“You have my word, Master Skywalker.” Vestara solemnly said as she used the Force to calm Luke’s frantically beating heart.

 

“T-Thank you. May the Force be with…” Luke tried to say as his head fell limp, and he went into a deep sleep.

 

At that moment, Jarael came in to say, “I’m sorry, you guys, but it’s time to take Master Skywalker onto the shuttle that will take him to Shedu Maad.”

 

“All right.” Ben sadly said as he prepared to say goodbye to his father for what could be the final time. “May the Force be with you, Master Skywalker.” With that said, Jarael and the two medical droids moved Luke into a landspeeder in order to quickly transport him to the shuttle that would take him back to the Jedi Temple on Shedu Maad.

 

As the two lovers left the tent, Vestara put a comforting hand on Ben’s shoulder and tenderly said, “Are you okay, Ben? I know that this must be galaxy-shaking to you.”

 

“I don’t know, Ves. I honestly don’t know.” Ben numbly said as he stopped walking in order to take in what he had learned. He morosely continued, humorously saying, “At this rate, it won’t be long before my entire family is killed in this _karking_ shadow war.”

 

“Come on, Ben. That’s the grief talking. Don’t worry, it will get better eventually, as long as you’ve got good people by your side.” Vestara tenderly said as she and Ben began walking again, but to where, neither person did not know.

 

“Yeah? Try telling that to Fett.” Ben said before he realized that Boba was a lot like many members of the extended Skywalker family.

 

Deciding to take a leap of faith, Ben began to walk to where Boba and his family and high-ranking followers were resting, with Vestara coming up behind him as she said, “Ben, what are you doing?”

 

“Getting some much-needed counsel, and, hopefully, building some small bridges between the Jedi and Mandalorians, but the latter one is more of a side thought at this point.” Ben said in complete seriousness as he approached Mandalore the Protector, and said, “Greetings, Mandalore.”

 

“Well, this is a surprise.” Boba Fett said as he stood up after taking a final bite from his field ration, and sarcastically said, “To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure of speaking with the vaunted Jedi Master Ben Skywalker?”

 

“Luke is dying, and Ben is in need of counsel from someone who knows the pain of losing a father to a Force user.” Vestara quickly said, which shocked every Mandalorian present, which included Boba, Sintas Vel, Ghes Orade, Sabine Wren, Mirta Gev, Dinua Jeban, and Venku Skirata.

 

“Well, you didn’t have to say it like that, Ves.” Ben said as he awaited the Mandalore’s vocal reaction to this development.

 

After several moments of waiting, Boba said, “Well, I guess that you and I have something in common. How is he dying, as I doubt that the wounds Krayt inflicted on him would be enough to kill a Jedi of such renowned vigor?”

 

“It’s a combination of his wounds, and the grief that came from losing his sister and brother-in-law.” Vestara said with a little anger lacing her voice at Boba’s lack of sympathy for Ben in light of this dire news.

 

“Funny, I thought that a Jedi of that caliber could handle losing family, considering that they’re now One with the Force.” Venku Skirata mockingly said, which further infuriated both Sabine and Vestara, the two of which looked like they were about to say something that would no doubt be scathing before Ben shook his head to indicate that he would handle this.

 

“Normally, I would gladly verbally lash someone who would have the gall to insult my family, but considering that we’re all on the same side, and because we’ve all lost family in one form or another due to the Sith, I’ll let it slide. My father was also contacted by the ghost of my mother, and she said that it was almost time for him to finally leave this war-torn galaxy.”

 

Those words piqued Mirta and Sabine’s interest, and the latter cautiously said, “You sure that Luke was contacted by Mara, and not by a Dark Side spirit, or worse, Abeloth, because that happened before, as I recall?”

 

“Luke was dead certain that it was Mara, and he knows how to look out for Abeloth’s call. Plus, I doubt that she could return so quickly after all of the damage that the Jedi, I, and Mandalore were able to inflict on her thirteen years ago.” Vestara said in defense of her boyfriend, while understanding Sabine’s concerns, and grateful that Sabine was careful in how she spoke about her skepticism.

 

“True enough.” Mirta said in concurrence before she sympathetically said to Ben, “You going to be okay, Ben?” She knew how painful it was for someone to lose their parent due to the five thousand yearlong-war between the Jedi and Sith, so she tried to offer what comfort she could to the Jedi Master.

 

“I’ll live, Mirta.” Ben stoically said as Vestara sent a nod of gratitude from her old comrade due to her attempt to help Ben deal with his grief.

 

“Look, Ben, I’m not very good at all of this mushy stuff, but I will say that we will all be lesser for the loss of your father, especially after all he gave into helping the galaxy for the last fifty-seven years.” Sabine compassionately said as she, as well as Sintas, as she sympathized with Ben due to her losing her daughter to the soon-to-be Sith Lord Darth Caedus, stood up in order to talk with Ben and help him move through his grief, which the Jedi Master greatly appreciated.

 

Seeing that Ben wouldn’t get any more sympathy from the Mandalorians, he turned to leave, but the most surprising voice stopped him in his tracks. “Ben, wait.” Boba said in a surprisingly guilty tone. He surprised Ben even further by saying, “I’m not the best person to go to about this, but I will say that the galaxy will be a darker place without him shining his light across the stars.”

 

Suspicious about Boba’s motives, Vestara said, “I thought that you, of all people, Fett, hate the Jedi and Sith for all of the strife that they’ve caused the galaxy throughout the last five millennia, especially since a Jedi killed your father, and a Sith deprived you of vengeance.”

 

“Well, I guess that Edaan and his comrades have changed the both of us in more ways than one, Vestara.” Boba said as he shrugged his shoulders, and said, “And, for the record, there are Jedi that I can respect, such as Kubariet and Edaan, for example, as they were willing to treat our people as equal partners and allies, instead of pawns to be disposed of.”

 

As Ben considered Boba’s words, he came to a realization, and said, “You think of me and my dad as people in the latter category, do you?”

 

“Your father, without a doubt. He heartlessly sacrificed my people to achieve a tactical victory during the Battle of Nickel One, and did not show any remorse for doing so. Not to mention that the Jedi Order, under his leadership, never aided my people after both the Yuuzhan Vong War and the Second Galactic Civil War.” Boba coldly said, which Ben could understand, as his father became colder after Mara’s death. Boba then continued, saying in a more calm tone, “And as for you, I’m trying to avoid putting you in the same category as him, but it’s a difficult battle, especially since it took your former apprentice to make you realize that your hunt for Vestara was leading you down a path of self-destruction, and, once you forgave her, you two got back together, and are now an inseparable couple.”

 

“Well, to be fair, I did betray him and his family on multiple occasions, and caused A LOT of deaths in my quest for power.” Vestara said as she struggled not to recall all of the innocent people that she massacred over the last thirteen years.

 

Boba nodded his head to the side in acknowledgement of Vestara’s point, and then continued, saying, “Look, given my experiences, I’ll never fully trust Force users, but I’m willing to work with them in order to advance the interests of my people, as evidenced by right now, since we’re all in the darkest place in the galaxy in a battle that Mandalorians typically don’t get involved in.”

 

“Well, I’m sure that your father would be proud of you for leading your people into a golden age, where Mandalorians are, for the most part, respected as honorable mercenaries.” Vestara said, which made Boba give a small smile at the honest and measured compliment.

 

“True words, Vestara, true words.” Boba said in agreement before he said, “We can’t let the other forces know of Luke’s condition, since they revere him, and this news will severely demoralize them, and we can’t afford to have a half-hearted army once we go into the Krayt Dragon’s nest.”

 

“Agreed.” Ben said as he prepared to leave in order to retire to his tent so he could get some rest, but before he left, he said to Boba, “Thank you for listening, Mandalore.”

 

“Don’t get over-emotional with me, Ben. I just don’t want one of my allies to be distracted during the final push against Krayt.” Boba disinterestedly said as he got up to retire to his tent as well, which made Sintas, Mirta, Sabine, Ghes, and Vestara roll their eyes in amusement at Boba’s attempt to avoid being seen as a compassionate person.

 

As the two lovers left, Sintas said to her ex-husband, “Who knew that underneath all of that armor was a man of honor and empathy.”

 

“Yeah. I never pictured that one of the most ardent anti-Jedi warriors of all time gave consoling to the son of Luke Skywalker. I wish that I was recording it, as that would have been one for the history books.” Sabine said as Mirta and Ghes chuckled at the teasing, which made Boba throw a death glare at the two of them.

 

“Not. One. Word.” Boba slowly said in order to make sure that no one would tease him for his rare display of empathy to a person, much less a Jedi.

 

Once he was sure that no one would make any further remarks, he left to retire to his tent, Mirta whispered to everyone present, “Softie.” Upon hearing that word, everyone burst out laughing until a blaster bolt landed five feet from where Mirta was sitting, making everyone shut up for fear of being blasted by the irate Mandalorian.

 

_Ten Minutes Later_

_1815 Hours_

_37.75 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_In Ben_ _’s Tent_

“How you holding up, Ben?” Vestara said as she removed her clothing in order to get comfortable with a similarly unclothed Ben by her side.

 

“I could be better, Ves.” Ben said as he allowed Vestara to snuggle up on his right. “It looks like we’re about to be in the same boat, what with us losing both of our parents due to the Dark Side.”

 

Upon those words being uttered, Ben felt a sharp pain on the back of his head, followed by whistling by Vestara, which made him say, “All right, point taken. I should have come up with a better analogy.”

 

“Hey. It’s alright, Ben.” Vestara said as she kissed Ben on the lips before she said, “You still have a little time left with your dad, and at least you still have so many people that care about you, myself included.”

 

“Yeah, I shouldn’t really complain, Ves. I just don’t want to lose any more loved ones to war and destruction.” Ben said as he held Vestara’s hip in a calming manner. He then adopted a serious on his face as he said, “Vestara, if we get out of this mess alive, will you marry me?”

 

Vestara could not believe what she was hearing. After a handful of days of being back with Ben, she was being proposed by her one true love, and she found her jaw falling agape as she couldn’t form a response. Ben could feel the mixture of joy and shock coursing through her due to their Force Bond, and he said, “Ves? Are you okay?”

 

“Yes. Yes I will marry you, Ben.” Vestara said as she pounced on top of Ben and kissed him with all of the passion that she could muster, which Ben returned with equal fervor as each lover’s hands ran over the other’s body.

 

“Ves. If all that we have is right now, let’s make the most of it, and make it wonderful.” Ben lovingly said as he turned off the lantern in their tent so that they could have a measure of privacy.

 

Soon enough, both lovers were in each other, and Vestara begged to her betrothed, “Don’t stop, Ben. Don’t you dare stop.”

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it, my love.” Ben huskily said as he returned to his ministrations. Their lovemaking continued for two hours before the couple fell asleep in each other’s arms, ready to take on the galaxy.

 

**And, done. Wow! I can’t believe that it only took me five days to write this chapter. So, a lot has happened in this chapter, with Luke revealed to be dying, Ben going to Boba for counsel, and Vestara accepting Ben’s marriage proposal. Before you bombard me with comments, let me explain: Yes, I said that Luke wouldn’t die from his wounds, but I didn’t say that he would not die at all. You see, I think that this story is a good point for Luke to join the Netherworld of the Force, as he has spent fifty-seven years protecting people, and I think that it is time for the next generation to take of the reins of protecting the galaxy. Sure, I might be a bit heartless, but at least I’ll make his death more peaceful than Han and Leia’s, and it will occur at the end of my story. And, you can thank Squasher for giving me the idea of letting Luke die at peace, because I was originally going to have Luke die in the final push against Krayt’s forces, so you should be grateful that I didn’t just kill him off there. Now, onto my second important event: Yes, I had Ben go to Boba for some counsel, which Boba gave. I felt that Boba and Ben are a lot alike, what with them being raised by prominent fathers, losing loved ones due to people that were wielding lightsabers, each person walked a fine line between justice and revenge for so long, and because each of them was changed for the better by Edaan in big or small ways (Boba, not too much, as I still want him to still be a hard warrior, but just a bit more human now.). And, third, I had Ben get engaged to Vestara, which mirrored Luke’s proposal to Mara. It felt right to me, since I’m an old-fashioned romantic, and, since they could (but they won’t) die in this story, as I’m sure that you guys can figure that out, I wanted to them to prepare to tie the knot in order to move things along. And, I drew references from Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi: Force Wars #2, and Star Wars: Lost Stars, because I just found them so appropriate and romantic. Oh, one more thing. Yes, that was in fact Mara Jade Skywalker that came to Luke in his dreams, and not Abeloth or another Dark Side spirit, as Luke would be aware of Abeloth’s influence, and would be guarded against Sith spirits. Anyway, the next chapter will include the rest of the Dramatis Personae get ready for the final push, and then the final battle will begin. So, enjoy the day of June 13, 2017, because I know that I will. May the Force be with you, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	18. Chapter 17

**Good afternoon, everybody. How are you doing on this warm day of June 14, 2017? I am all right, as I went to the gym today for a forty-five minute workout, then had a hearty lunch, and am ready to work on the next chapter of my story. But, first off, I would like to thank Master Skywalker 121 for his honest review of my last chapter, as it means a lot to me to know that there are people who appreciate my works, as well as revere the Original, and, in my opinion, True, Expanded Universe with as much intensity as I do. Anyway, I can’t wait for more of my favorite stories to be updated, as I know that I will enjoy each chapter that is created by these literary geniuses. So, as I said in the previous chapter of this story, this chapter will be a filler chapter that will focus on the remaining heroes among the Dramatis Personae, and from there, all Hell will break loose as the Shadow Alliance pushes on into Darth Krayt’s citadel. So, stay tuned, because very soon, things will get very interesting again, and you’ll want to stay for the whole ride. Well, I’d better get to writing this chapter, as I have a lot of characters to cover. Oh, one more thing. Once this chapter is complete, my story will surpass seventy thousand words, and to think, I still have a long way to go in my story before it’s complete. Anyways, back to writing.**

**(June 15, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everybody! How are you on this hot afternoon? I am well, as I’ve mowed my parents’ lawn, and got the book _The Battles of Tolkien_ through the mail. Not to mention that last night, not long after I went to bed, Iron117Prime updated his best story, his _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ and _2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_** **crossover,** **_Worlds Collide_ ** **, and it was freaking awesome! I highly encourage each of you to read that story, as you will not be disappointed by the… well, everything about the story. I can’t wait for the next chapter, as I know that they will not disappoint. Oh, and one more thing. As of now, Mithrao - Fanatic of Thrawn has updated their sole story, _The Art of War_ , which is a Star Wars and Mass Effect fanfiction, and it is growing into an artistic masterpiece (Thrawn pun intended.). Anyway, I’d better get back to writing. **

_2015 Hours_

_35.75 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

As the Jedi Council Member Whiphid known as K’Kruhk meditated near a campfire, he heard two sets of footsteps approach him, and he turned to see the Lira San navy supreme commander Garazeb Orrelios, and Mandalorian leader Venku Skirata.

 

“You mind if we join you, old timer?” Zeb said as he stared at the roaring flames for an unknown reason.

 

“Not at all, Commander Orrelios.” K’Kruhk courteously said as the two grizzled veterans sat down on the dirt next to the Whiphid Jedi Master. Once they were seated, K’Kruhk humorously asked both leaders, “What can I do for you, as I gather that you aren’t here to stare into a fire, or hang out with an old man like me?”

 

“Hey, I resent that remark!” Zeb jokingly said as he placed a hand over his heart, with Venku chuckling in amusement over the banter between the two furry individuals. Immediately afterwards, Zeb continued, saying, “Just call me ‘Zeb’, because that’s what all of my comrades call me, and because I like the nickname that Hera gave me better than my birth name.”

 

“Very well, Zeb. You still haven’t answered my question, though.” K’Kruhk said as he noticed Zeb’s attempts to dance around the issue that was plaguing his mind.

 

“Fine.” Zeb said as he sighed at not being able to get anything past the elder Jedi Master. He then said, “You know about Ezra Bridger and how he became Darth Snoke?” K’Kruhk, getting a good idea of where this conversation was heading, simply nodded in confirmation, and motioned for Zeb to continue speaking, who then said, “Well, then you should know that he’s still alive, and Sabine and I will no doubt have to face him in battle tomorrow, and I don’t know if I can take him down, even after all of the horrible things that he’s done. I was hoping that you could offer some of that vaunted Jedi wisdom that you guys are so good for. So, what do you got for me, Master K’Kruhk?”

 

After a moment of contemplation for an answer, K’Kruhk suddenly said, “Zeb, do you know who Darth Sedriss is?”

 

Upon hearing that name, Venku knew where this conversation was going, and said, “She was originally named Sidirri, and she was one of the eight surviving younglings that were under your protection when Order Sixty-Six was carried out by the clone troopers under your command on one of the moons of Bogden, and killed ten younglings and Jedi Masters Du Mahn and Sian Jeisel, before the experiences that you guys suffered, which included being attacked by pirates, you slaughtering the last of the pirates, and seeing hundreds, if not thousands of refugees from both the Old Republic and Confederacy, caused her to fall to the Dark Side of the Force, and she eventually deserted you and the other younglings, and she eventually found her way into Krayt’s services, where she became an effective, if unstable, Sith Lady.”

 

“Is that true, Master K’Kruhk?” Zeb shockingly said as he found himself finding more than a few similarities with the Whiphid than he originally thought.

 

“Every word of it, Zeb.” K’Kruhk sadly said as he turned away in shame, and he continued, saying, “Master Zeo, a blind Veknoid who traveled to where the Force bade him to go to, came to Expansions Region world of Arkinnea about four months after the Great Jedi Purge began, and we learned and, with the help of two Imperial commanders who secretly were loyal to the Old Republic and the Jedi Order of my time, stopped a systematic purge of refugees by the Arkinnea Militia. We then, with the help of the natives of the planet, rediscovered an old Jedi Temple, and rebuilt it as our haven.”

 

“But tell us how you failed Sidirri, K’Kruhk, and how she is now a Sith Lady serving a megalomaniac.” Venku sardonically said, which earned an angry growl from Zeb, while K’Kruhk looked down to the ground in even greater shame.

 

“No, Zeb. He’s right. I failed her because, two months after we fled the clone troopers, we were discovered by a group of pirates, and, once they were whittled down to two, I, in my rage, hacked them up in front of her younglings. That, in addition to losing so many of her friends to the clone troopers, made her more susceptible to the pull of the Dark Side. And, when we were being pursued by the Arkinnea Militia, she gave into her rage and murdered several militia members by rolling a boulder over them. Two years later, she fled the temple, with Master Zao pursuing her, but neither of them returned. I knew that Master Zao was still alive, but I feared for Sidirri’s soul, and eventually let her go, thinking that she was dead by the Sith and the Imperials of that era. What I don’t understand is how she could have joined the One Sith, as she hated the Sith for what they did to her for so long.”

 

“Well, as my old friend Kanan Jarrus used to say, the Dark Side is a powerful and seductive force, not to be underestimated for its tenacity and patience in seducing people to become slaves of his will. Ezra Bridger is a prime example of that.” Zeb bitterly said as he remembered with vivid clarity what his former friend and comrade eventually became after Ahsoka Tano died at Darth Vader’s hands, and Sorzus Syn’s holocron corrupted him.

 

“True enough, Zeb. I imagine that for her to serve a Sith Lord, her hate for the galaxy that, at the time, abandoned the Jedi, must be so great that it’s all but driven her mad.” K’Kruhk said in agreement before he faced Venku, and tensely said, “I am more than aware of the old Jedi Order’s many failures, as evidenced by the havoc that was inflicted upon the galaxy by the Clone War, which was started by the Jedi’s blindness to the Sith’s machinations.”

 

“Not to mention having a slave army, taking children from their parents just to keep your order alive and not allowing their parents to ever see their children again, and by serving a corrupt and bloated republic as its personal servants.” Venku said with great bile in his voice, as he recalled the tales that his father and other members of the Skirata clan told him of the Clone War and the years that preceded that terrible war.

 

“Hey, if you ask me, K’Kruhk and the rest of the Jedi payed their debt by helping to take down the Empire that brought so much pain, suffering, and misery across the entire galaxy, which includes both of our peoples, so put a sock in it!” Zeb disgustingly said as he bitterly recalled how the First Galactic Empire nearly destroyed the Lasat people, and how Sabine told him the terrible stories of how the Empire enslaved the bulk of the Mandalorians in order to mine their _beskar_ iron before Leia Organa and Fenn Shysa, the former Mandalore before Boba inherited the role, destroyed the Superma and his garrison, allowing the Mandalorians to fight with the Alliance of Free Planets and New Republic against a variety of foes, ranging from the Nagai to Lord Shadowspan. Zeb continued, angrily saying, “Not to mention that the Jedi stopped the Second Imperium from restoring the Empire, the Diversity Alliance from exterminating humanity, and Black Sun from taking over the galaxy. Oh, and let’s not forget their role in stopping the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion; and yes, I know that your people played their role with honor and dignity, as they provided critical intelligence to the New Republic, corrupt as it might have been, rescued a Jedi, and helped liberate several worlds from subjugation, but it was the Jedi that led the charge and ended the four-year war.”

 

“Well, at least you’re passionate about what you believe in, Zeb. Perhaps we all have more in common than we realize.” Venku said, more than a little impressed with the Lasat’s defense of the Jedi. However, he was still angry with K’Kruhk and the rest of the Jedi for their blindness to the lives around them, but he was willing to put his differences with them aside in order to complete their mission. “Die well, both of you.” Venku said as he got up from where he was sitting in order to retire to his tent in order to get a few hours of sleep before he walked into the gates of Chaos.

 

As K”Kruhk looked confused at such a remark, he looked to Zeb for clarification, and the Lasat said “Oh, don’t worry. That’s mando for ‘good luck’.”

 

“I don’t think that I will ever understand Mandalorians, and I still have at least a century of life ahead of me.” K’Kruhk said as he mentally analyzed everything that had just transpired.

 

“Well, I’ve had a Mandalorian as a friend for over sixty years, and I still have a lot to learn about them and their culture.” Zeb said as he got up from his spot on the ground so that he could get some rest.

 

However, before he left, K’Kruhk asked, “Zeb, wait. Will you and Sabine be able to stop Ezra and, if it comes down to it, kill him, because I know that I have to end Sidirri and her reign of madness before she kills anyone eles?”

 

“Sabine, Chopper and I beat him once, and we can do it again. And this time, we’ll have an army helping us end the Sith threat for good.” Zeb said with grim determination, and he then said, “May the Force be with us both in the hours to come.”

 

“Agreed.” K’Kruhk said as he resumed his mediation.

 

_40 Minutes Later_

_2100 Hours_

_35.00 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

“Are you alright, Allana?” Trista Zel gently said to the _Chume'da_ of the Hapes Consortium as she sat down next to her and Tenel Ka.

 

“What do you think, Trista?” Allana tearfully said as she looked down at the ground in order to keep both women from seeing her tears. “I lost Grandpa Han and Grandma Leia to a Sith mediation sphere, and now we found out that Luke’s going to die soon, so our family is a lot smaller now.”

 

Both Trista and Tenel Ka looked like they were each having an aneurysm, and Tenel Ka hoarsely said to her daughter, “Allana, how do you know this?”

 

“Because Luke told us that Mara came to him in his sleep, and told him that his time with us is ending. He’ll probably be dead within a few months, if he’s lucky.” Allana bitterly said.

 

“How was Luke when he delivered the terrible news?” Tenel said as she began to mentally fight off the shock and dread that made her whole body shiver.

 

Upon hearing that question, Allana’s eyes bulged wide open, and she angrily said, “He said that he wanted to die, as if our wishes meant nothing! He is so eager to die that he is leaving his own son and niece behind in this war-forsaken world. I wish we never came to this world!”

 

“Allana…” Trista sadly said as she tried, but failed, to come up with an appropriate or sympathetic response to Allana’s verbal rant.

 

It was then that the person who was the most unlikely to say something sympathetic spoke up, and said, “Allana, we’ll all miss Luke. And I know that you will too, you’re just hurting from losing your grandparents, as I am.”

 

“You are?” Allana disbelievingly said as she turned to face her mother with a skeptical look on her face, as she recalled all of the years that Tenel Ka had to maintain her stoic and ruthless demeanor in order to survive Hapan politics.

 

“I knew Luke from when I was just fourteen years old, and he and my fellow students of the Yavin IV Jedi Praxeum helped me discover much about myself. In fact, he and your father and niece helped me come to terms with my mother’s murder by my maternal grandfather. Also, when my father died, I knew that I had to keep going, because I knew that you were still alive and safe, well, as safe as you can be with the Solos,” Tenel Ka said as she offered a rare humorous smile to her daughter, which was infectious to both Allana and Trista, as they both offered smiles of their own to their relative.

 

“So, you’re saying that we have to keep going in order to honor the good that our relatives have done for us and the galaxy as a whole?” Allana said as her anger began to melt away.

 

“Exactly, Allana. And, as long as you stay true to who you are, you will always have your loved ones alive within your heart.” Tenel Ka said as she used her sole arm to wrap it around her daughter’s shoulders in a rare display of affection, which made Allana smile and lean into her mother’s embrace, with a satisfied Trista leaving the two women alone for some alone time before they entered Krayt’s citadel.

 

_Two Hours Later_

_2300 Hours_

_33.00 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

 

Tau Palpatine was practicing his lightsaber technique when he noticed that Corran Horn, Kyle Katarn, Seelah Verge, Atai Molec, and Akku Sai II came up to him in observance of his desire to improve his form. Sensing that the five warriors had something important to talk to him about, Tau deactivated his white-colored lightsaber and walked towards his compatriots, saying as he walked, “Anything that I can help you with?”

 

“Actually, yes, Tau. There is something that you can help us with.” Kyle said in his trademark calculated tone. “We need to know what happened to Edaan while he was trapped in the tomb, as he’s been tightlipped about it, and no one that was with him has revealed anything, not even Jaden, who said that we wouldn’t understand, and fear and mistrust him.”

 

“I see.” Tau cautiously said as he tried to find a way out of this situation, as he had no intention of selling out his brother to satisfy the curiosity of people who owe their lives to Edaan in several ways. “Well, I’m sorry, but if Edaan hasn’t told you guys yet, then he must have his reasons, and I have to respect them, as well as his privacy. So, if there’s nothing else, I ought to be getting some rest, as we’ve got a big battle ahead of us in a few hours.”

 

Unfortunately for Tau, he couldn’t get away, as each warrior surrounded him in a pentagon-like formation. Corran then spoke up, saying, “We don’t want any trouble, Tau. We just want to make sure that Edaan is all right, as his powers have been amplified exponentially, and we want to be sure that Edaan is… well, still Edaan.”

 

“Exactly what are you getting at, Master Horn?” Tau cautiously said, not betraying any anger that he was feeling at the insinuation that the Jedi and three of Edaan’s closest friends believed that Edaan was possessed by Sith sprits.

 

“To be blunt, Tau, they’re wondering whether or not I have three Sith ghosts inside of me, just as Lord Kallig II had during the Galactic War.” Edaan said as he, Adari, and Butch made their presence known to everyone, and Edaan did not look happy as he directed an irate look at Akku, Atai, and Seelah.

 

“Edaan!” Atai nervously said as he saw his friend shoot everyone that was interrogating his brother a look that could kill. “Uh… how much of that did you hear?”

 

“Oh, I heard every word, Atai, and I’m starting to wonder whether or not you and Akku are my friends, because if you have questions for me regarding my newfound powers, then you confront me, and not my twin brother.” Edaan disgustingly said to the five allies.

 

“We didn’t mean anything by it, Edaan.” Corran said in a conciliatory gesture, and continued, saying, “We just want to make sure that everything is alright, as no one has told us what happened to you during your time MIA.”

 

“Well, since you asked so nicely, I’ll tell you.” Edaan said as he continued to speak, saying, “Long story short, when that Mantellian Savrip Sith Lady attacked me in the tomb of Marka Ragnos, her death awakened the ghosts of Marka Ragnos and Darths Sidious and Malleus, who then tried to possess me body for their own use. I was only able to fight them off and banish their spirits back into Chaos due Adari, Butch, Tau, Ben, Vestara, as well as the spirits of the original Tau, Revan, Meetra Surik, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Jacen Solo. Once I beat Sidious my five dead masters latched themselves into my soul in order for me to have complete access to their powers and wisdom so that we might stand a chance against the One Sith’s armies.”

 

“You mean to tell me that you made the five Jedi who taught you so much prisoners inside of your body in order to acquire a quick boost of power?” Seelah disgustingly said as she misunderstood what Edaan was saying.

 

“Actually, they volunteered to do so, and I only agreed on the promise that I would release them after Krayt and his Sith order are either dead or captured, as I’m afraid of anyone with that much power, which especially includes myself. And, I told them that if I go out of control with a lust for power, then they have to leave.” Edaan continued to explain to everyone, more than a little annoyed with everyone doubting his moral compass.

 

“So… Your five dead Jedi Masters are basically loaning their powers to you, and you’ve established limits on your power in order to prevent yourself from becoming the next Darth Sidious?” Akku said as he summed up everything that his longtime friend had just told him.

 

“Yeah. That’s pretty much it, Akku.” Edaan said to the Anzati Mandalorian, which seemed to calm everyone’s nerves as they relaxed.

 

However, before anyone else could say anything, Adari said, “How could you guys think that Edaan would be drunk on power?!? He is, next to Luke Skywalker, perhaps the most selfless person that is still alive, as he risked his mind, body, and soul for the safety of others for over thirteen years. Not to mention that he’s lost two of his closest friends, Vua and Robo, to the Sith, and he’s still holding himself together through a sheer force of will that the galaxy hasn’t seen since Anakin Skywalker before he became Darth Vader.”

 

“Adari, that’s enough.” Edaan gently but firmly said as he put a hand on his wife’s shoulder in order to calm her down. He then continued to speak, saying, “Look, guys, I’m not asking for you to trust me with this newfound power right away, as I don’t know if I my body can handle the complete amount of power that is inside me now, and I’m not sure that even the purest of beings can handle all of this power without being corrupted by it, as evidenced by so many rogue Jedi and dark siders, which is why I have a built-in timer with how long that I can have this power in order to help stop Krayt.”

 

After a moment of silence, Kyle said, “Well, you haven’t led us astray yet, and I can sense your sincerity, so I think that we should at least give you the benefit of the doubt, and give you a chance to prove that you can control these newfound powers.”

 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Grand Master Katarn.” Edaan said with a hint of sarcasm as he then said, “Look, we’ve only got a few hours left until the final push, and we all could use some sleep, so, Adari, Butch, and I are going to get some rest. I recommend that all of you do the same. Good night.”

 

The couple and their loyal tuk’ata left the area in order to head to their tent, while Tau decided to go to sleep as well, and leaving the five warriors alone with their thoughts as they felt the guilt of falsely accusing Edaan of being corrupted.

 

_Ten Minutes Later_

_2310 Hours_

_32.83 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_In Edaan and Adari_ _’s Tent_

 

“Can you believe them, Edaan?” Adari said as she changed into her nightclothes while Edaan just watched with undisguised awe at how angelic his wife’s perfect body looked.

 

“That everyone believes that I was possessed by Sith sprits? Yes, I can, luv, because it’s happened to Jedi before.” Edaan said as Adari finished buttoning up her nightshirt, and she went to lay besides him.

 

“Yeah, but you managed to fight them off with our help, and now you’re stronger than ever.” Adari said as she got comfortable in her husband’s arms.

 

“Yeah, but gaining too much power, even for a couple of days, can change a person for the worst, and I fear for my soul.” Edaan worriedly said, which earned him a kiss from Adari, who smiled tenderly at him.

 

“Oh, Edaan. I have the utmost faith in your abilities, your strength of character, and your commitment to the Light Side of the Force. You will not fall to the Dark Side of the Force, and you will lead the Shadow Alliance to victory against Krayt, then we’ll help lead the people of Kesh into a new era of peace and prosperity, and you’ll eventually become Grand Master of the Jedi Order.” Adari gently said before she said, “Now, what do you say that we get some sleep, as we’re going to be waist deep in Sith blood and guts tomorrow?”

 

After chuckling at his wife’s sense of humor, Edaan said, “All right.”

 

As sleep quickly overtook the two of them, they both said to each other, “May the Force be with you, my love.”

 

**And, cut! Wow! I can’t believe that I wrote this chapter, which contains over four thousand words, in just three short days. I guess that having a lot of free time will allow you to write to your heart’s content. I hope that you enjoyed the filler chapter, because, starting next chapter, after I cover the last of the heroes of the Dramatis Personae, the action will once again pick up, and it won’t stop until the final battle, which will be mondo cool and epic. Anyway, how are you doing on this day of June 16, 2017? I am well, as my sister is hanging out with a friend, my mother is at a family reunion, my dad is at work, and I have the house all to myself. And, soon enough, I’ll get to work on some homework for my online class. So, I can’t wait for more of my favorite stories to be updated, as I crave good literature in any format, whether it be fanfiction or real literature. Anyway, I guess that I’d better sign off, as I’ve got nothing else to talk about. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	19. Chapter 18

**Good evening, all of you Star Wars Expanded Universe adherents! How are you doing on this warm night of June 16, 2017? I am well, as I went to Showmars with my dad and sister, and I’m home, working on my fanfiction right now. Oh, and, as of now, I’ve finished Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr.’s book, _Cop Under Fire: Moving Beyond Hashtags of Race_ , Crime and Politics for a Better America, and I could not help but admire and respect the man a great deal for standing up for the founding values of our (as in his and mine, as I know that a good deal of people from other countries read my works) country, and speaking the truth in today’s… let’s just say divided society. Anyway, tomorrow, I’m going to start reading Michael Doran’s ** **_Ike_ ** **_’_ ** **_s Gamble: America_ ** **_’s Rise to Dominance in the Middle East_ ** **, and I know that I will be greatly impressed with the book. Anyway, as of now, I’ve written over 71,000 words in this story, and written about one hundred and thirty-one pages in this story in the last two months and nine days. Well, I’d better get to work on the chapter, as I’ve still got a couple of characters to cover in the final few hours before Ragnarök begins for both the Shadow Alliance and the One Sith. May the Force be with me as the action, blood, and guts resumes in this story in more ways than one.**

****

_Two Hours Later_

_0112 Hours_

_30.80 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

 

Jaina Solo Fel was slowly awakening from a deep slumber when her comlink began to beep in rapid succession, and she quickly sat up and activated the device’s Holonet capabilities. The image of her husband, Jagged Fel, dressed up in his full night attire as he sat on the bed that the two of them usually shared when they were on the Fel Empire’s capital word of Bastion.

 

“ _Hello, my empress. How goes the crusade against the One Sith?_ ” Jagged said in an attempt to elicit even a chuckle from his wife.

 

She merely smiled in response as she said, “As well as expected, Jag. We’re going to make the final push against the One Sith in less than two hours, and we only have just over thirty hours before it’s the end of the Shadow Alliance unless we stop Krayt within that timeframe.” Her face then became deathly serious as she sadly said, “And my parents were both killed by Ship, while Uncle Luke is dying and being shipped back to Shedu Maad for treatment.”

 

Jagged then looked like he was having a heart attack, and he quickly gained control of his emotions and said, “ _How are Ben and Allana taking it?_ ”

 

“They’re doing better than expected, since Ben has Vestara, and Allana has her mother to keep them from doing anything reckless.” Jaina said in complete seriousness, and then continued, referring to their son as she said, “How’s Chak doing, Jag? Is he able to sense what’s going on here on Korriban?”

 

“ _It’s hard to say, Jaina. He’s very talented, and he can pick things up quire easily, so it’s likely possible that he already knows, but is keeping it from everyone._ ” Jagged said, right before the door to his bedroom opened, and a young boy with shoulder length brown appear next to the emperor, which made Jag say, “ _Well, I guess that that answers that question._ ”

 

“ _Mother, what’s going on? I can sense that you’re in a lot of pain, and Father won’t tell me anything about your…_ _situation._ ” Chak said as he looked at Jaina with pleading eyes while barely managing to say the word “situation”.

 

“Oh, Chak. Where do I begin?” Jaina tenderly said as she began to tell her son what had happened since the Shadow Alliance had invaded Korriban, starting with rescuing Edaan and his fellow prisoners from Krayt’s clutches, to capturing the city of Dreshdae, to destroying the Sith meditation sphere Ship, and losing the Millennium Falcon, in the process, to invading the planet’s catacombs, and having Luke injured by Darth Krayt.

 

“ _Mother, please come home. I don’t want to lose any more family to the Sith, and I know that Father doesn’t want to lose you for a long time._ ” Chak said as he practically begged Jaina to leave the carnage that was occurring.

 

“Oh, Chak, I wish that I could come home, but I have to see this war through to the end, for our family, the Fel Empire, the galaxy, and for all those that have fallen in this war with the Sith.” Jaina sadly said as tears began to fall from her eyes, which caused Chak to begin to cry as well, which made Jagged hold Chak tightly in an attempt to comfort him.

 

“ _Then promise me that you won’t die, Mother, and destroy those Sith for what they’ve done for our family._ ” Chak said with a sweltering anger getting into his voice.

 

“Don’t worry, Chak. Before I was a galactic empress, I was the Sword of the Jedi, and stopped a lot of megalomaniacs that were just like these Sith. So, now that we’ve got an army behind us, this shouldn’t be more than a walk in the park.” Jaina said as she recalled every war that she was in in her forty-eight years of existence. Once her brief recollection was over, she said to her son, “Just stay true to the code of the Imperial Knights, and you will see me again.”

 

“Okay, Mother. I’m holding you to that promise.” Chak said as he yawned from exhaustion, and began to fall asleep in his father’s embrace.

 

“May the Force be with you, Jaina Solo Fel.” Jagged said in complete seriousness.

 

“And with you, Jagged Fel.” Jaina said as she ended the Holonet connection, and began to drift back to sleep.

 

However, before she could fall asleep, an old but authoritative voice came up from behind her and said in a condescending tone, “So, that’s the Emperor of the Fel Empire, huh?”

 

Jaina startlingly turned to face the grizzled face of the clone Jedi Master that was simply known as X2, and, once the initial shock wore off, she said, “Do you have a problem with my husband, Master X2?”

 

“Your husband? Not at all, Jaina. I’m sure that he’s a decent man, as is your son. My problem, however, is you and your husband’s power grab within a government with a horrific legacy dogging it at almost every step of the way, minus Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon and his honorable and capable leadership.” X2 venomously said as he prepared to leave the tent.

 

“‘Power grab’? For your information, X2, we only took power when the last Head of State for the Imperial Remnant, Vitor Reige, was assassinated by Natasi Daala and her lackeys, and the Moff Council begged for the two of us to lead the Empire in order to prevent a civil war from tearing it apart.” Jaina incredulously said.

 

“And you started your own Force order as the enforcers of the Fel Empire. Don’t bother denying it, I’ve been researching the workings of the Imperial Knights, and it sickens me. You treat the Force as nothing more than a tool, serve only the Emperor and Empress instead of the Force, and you kill anyone who tries to leave the order. It is disgusting to see Force users used for another government’s selfish needs, just as the old Jedi Order was used by the corrupt and bloated Old Republic and its Galactic Senate.” X2 angrily replied as his voice began to rise in disgust and anger.

 

“Okay, that last part’s fair, considering that the Old Republic and old Jedi Order used you, your brother X1, and the rest of the Grand Army of the Republic as a slave army to fight the Confederacy’s droid armies and navies.” Jaina said as she conceded that point to X2, before she stood up and continued to speak, saying, “But you have to understand that the Moff Council had imposed their own limits on us in order to keep us from overthrowing them, and the citizens of the Empire are much stricter than the rest of the galaxy, so we naturally have to be stricter in order to impose discipline in the Imperial Knights.”

 

“How much of that is you truly believing, or you just spouting rhetoric that you tell your trainees?” X2 said, not buying anything that Jaina was telling her.

 

“Look, I don’t like it any more than you do, but the Imperial Knights are just as devoted to the Light Side of the Force as the Jedi Order is. The Knights have an order to slay the Emperor, or in this case, me, as I’m the Force Sensitive instead of Jag, if they fall to the Dark Side of the Force, and they can’t redeem them.” Jaina said as her temper began to rise at X2’s insults to her honor.

 

“And what’s to stop your son from changing the edicts of the Imperial Knights in order to suit his own personal agenda, Jaina?” X2 said in continuation of his distrust of the Imperial Knights.

 

“The Imperial Knights themselves, as we chose them for not only their connection to the Force, but for their strong moral compass.” Jaina said as she reequipped her lightsaber to her belt, and got up from her makeshift bed in order to leave her tent, with X2 following her.

 

“Look, I’m not saying this to be mean or cruel, Jaina, I just have grave misgivings about this order.” X2 said in an empathetic tone.

 

“And I appreciate the concern, Master X2, but the choice is already done, and all we can do now is go forward. Besides, look on the bright side: Now we have fifty more Force Sensitives that are willing to help us.” Jaina sympathetically said.

 

“I won’t deny that, and I respect everything that you’ve done, but I still stand by my beliefs.” X2 adamantly said.

 

“And that is your right. May the Force be with you, Master X2.” Jaina said as she departed her tent in order to check up on her Imperial forces, leaving the elderly Jedi Master alone with his thoughts.

 

_Seventy-Eight Minutes Later_

_0230 Hours_

_29.50 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

 

Seelah Verge was finalizing her last-minute preparations on her lightsaber when she sensed the amplified presence of Edaan come up from behind her, and he said, “So, you ready for the final push?”

 

“Do you even need to ask, Edaan?” Seelah sarcastically said as she stood and turned to face her old friend at eye level. She then continued, saying, “I just want this madness to be over with so that the rest of my people can return to their home on Dantooine and find some peace.”

 

“Actually, about that…” Edaan hesitatingly said, which left Seelah very worried as she feared that her people will be incarcerated for being former Sith. Edaan then continued, saying, “I spoke with Grand Master Katarn and the rest of the Jedi Council, and we’ve come to the decision that your home world would greatly benefit from having a Jedi temple established there, as Kesh is a Force nexus, and there must be at least several thousand Force Sensitives there who could benefit from Jedi Instruction, what with the Lost Tribe being destroyed and all.”

 

“Okay.” Seelah numbly said as she mentally took in what she had just heard, and then, in order to avoid having a panic attack at the prospect of having a greater Jedi presence on her home planet, carefully said, “Are you sure that this is the best course of action, what with the anti-Jedi sentiment that a lot of my people no doubt still have? And, where would you even place the Jedi temple, as my people still have a slight aversion to modern technology?”

 

“Well… we were considering placing the Jedi temple within the old Sith Temple, as it’s already an excellent training area, and, with a few minor adjustments, such as more modern dorms,” Edaan said to Seelah as he with a raised eyebrow as he paused his speech, which she immediately understood, since the temple had very primitive dorms in order to reveal the character of each Sith Apprentice. He then continued, saying “I think that it can be a very good Jedi Praxeum. With you and the rest of your compatriots as instructors for future students, of course.”

 

This last sentence sent Seelah over the edge of control, and she said, “Edaan, pardon me for my language, but, ARE YOU KARKING INSANE?!? I know that we owe you a debt for helping us, but I don’t think that our people would like having escapees from the Lost Tribe of the Sith train their children and loved ones, as we caused so much pain and misery for the people of Kesh.”

 

“Okay, first off, my sanity has been questioned by a lot of people. Second, I think that the debt that you guys owe us is settled, since you guys came with me into Chaos itself in order to help stop the One Sith. And, finally, once the people of Kesh know what all of you have done to help protect the galaxy, they’ll welcome you back with open arms, especially when Adari and I come with you, since we’ll go there to help train the Force Senstives of Kesh to use their gifts for the good of others.” Edaan said as he countered each of Seelah’s points.

 

“You just try to think of everything, don’t you, Edaan?” Seelah amusingly said to Edaan as she crossed her arms in slight annoyance while Adari and Butch came up from behind Edaan.

 

“He tries to, Seelah, which is both a blessing and a curse.” Adari said as Butch came up to Edaan’s side in order to lick him in affection, which made the three Force Sensitives roll their eyes in amusement at the tuk’ata hound’s antics. Adari then sympathetically said to her fellow Keshiri, “So, how ready are you for this mad war to end?”

 

“I’m as ready as the Blue Shadow Virus is lethal in its liquid form.” Seelah said, which shocked the two newlyweds with her knowledge of lethal extinct diseases.

 

“Well, someone’s been reading on the Holonet.” Edaan worriedly said as he feared the rise of another Nuvo Vindi, who was a mad male Faust scientist that was recruited by the Confederation of Independent Systems to recreate the Blue Shadow Virus in an airborne form, before he was stopped by Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi during the early years of the Clone War, and was imprisoned for the remainder of his demented life before dying in an Imperial penal colony.

 

“Yeah. You’d be surprised what disturbing stuff people will place on the Holonet. It’s like don’t want to have peace at all, which really baffles me.” Seelah casually said before she saw the fearful looks on both Adari and Edaan’s faces, and she immediately understood what they were thinking, and said, “Oh, don’t worry. I was just researching medicines for future use at our former colony a few years ago, and came across a reference to that mockery of a scientist. I have no inclination, or interest, of killing all of those people by medicinal means.” The two lovers then breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that.

 

“Good. The last thing we need is another Nuvo Vindi running amok across the galaxy.” Edaan said in genuine relief as he then got serious and said, “So, will you at least consider the offer that we’ve given you?”

 

After mulling the issue over in her head for a minute, the former Sith Saber said, “I think that I’ll do you one better, Edaan, and agree to the teaching position in your Praxeum, because, while I can’t speak for everyone else, I yearn to go home and see my family, if they’re still alive, that is.”

 

“Well, then, I guess that I’d better tell Grand Master Katarn that you’ve accepted the offer. If we survive this shadow war, then we can help lead the people of Kesh into a new golden age of peace and prosperity.” Edaan said in genuine jubilation.

 

“Don’t go spreading that around, Edaan. Not everyone on Kesh is fond of the Jedi, even after they helped heal the wounds that they left behind when they deposed Vestara.” Adari said in mock rebuke of her husband’s boundless optimism, and the three friends went to give the good news to Kyle and the rest of the assembled Jedi Council.

 

_0250 Hours_

_29.16 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_Onboard the_ Megador

 

Nek Bwua’tu was anxious for the Shadow Alliance’s invasion force, which, at the rate that this battle was progressing, was turning more and more into an occupation force on the Sith tomb world of Korriban. He was in the middle of a conference with the Shadow Alliance’s High Command, discussing their progress, as well as the leadership vacancy in the strike force that was assigned to destroy Darth Krayt and his Sith order due to Luke Skywalker being incapacitated from his battle with Darth Krayt. What Bwua’tu just found out, however, was that Luke was dying from both his wounds and a broken heart, which greatly amplified his nervousness.

 

Once the four remaining leaders of the strike force finished their debriefing, Bwua’tu sympathetically said to Ben, “Are you okay, Ben?”

 

“ _Don_ _’t worry, I’ll live. And, I’ll feel better once we finish what we came here to do, and destroy Krayt’s One Sith._ ” Ben said, his voice full of grim determination as he spoke.

 

“ _Anyway…_ ” Edaan said in an attempt to prevent Ben from losing himself in his own anger and sorrow, “ _Have you had any problems with the remainder of Rook Saxon’s fleet, because Krayt’s hidden assets should have arrived by now?_ ”

 

“No, but, Master Saa told me that the remainder of Krayt’s naval forces are close, which likely means that they are just outside the system, and are awaiting Krayt’s orders to engage our fleets.” Bwua’tu replied, earning a surprised look from all four leaders of the strike force.

 

“Not to question your competence, Supreme Commander, but, shouldn’t the Megador’s deep-space alarms go off at such a significant force arrive near the Horuset System?” Boba irately questioned, which earned him a few glares from everyone who was a part of this meeting.

 

“I agree, which is why I have a handpicked team of technicians looking into the problem. And, Master Saba-” Bwua’tu began to say before he noticed a Twi’lek in a Galactic Alliance lieutenant’s uniform walking up to him with a look of pure killing intent, and he cautiously said, “Lieutenant, what are you doing?”

 

“My job.” The Twi’lek stoically said before she said, “Don’t take this the wrong way, Bwau’tu, as I highly respect your sense of honor and loyalty, as well as your strategic vision, but orders are orders.” She then pulled out a blaster and fired at the Bothan supreme commander, who barely managed to evade the blast, but was still singed from the furthest heat of the blaster. Before he could pull out his blaster, he felt his windpipe being crushed through the use of the Force, and he was pulled off of the ground and levitated into the air.

 

The non-Sith members of the bridge then pulled out their blasters and aimed them at the Sith Lady, who then said, “Ah, ah, ah. If even one of you fire a single blast at me, I’ll kill your beloved supreme commander, and then slaughter all of you and destroy the _Megador_. And I know that none of you want all of those deaths on your consciences.”

 

Bwua’tu, seeing his salvation rapidly approach him, said in an effort to buy his savior more time, said, “D-don’t give her what she wants. If she succeeds, then the Shadow Alliance will be thrown into disarray, and Krayt and his followers could escape into the galaxy.”

 

“How noble, Bwua’tu. You’re willing to die for the cause that you have fought for over twenty years for. I admire a patriot, but you will still die.” The Twi’lek contemptuously said before she caught movement within the peripheral vision of her eyes, and barely managed to dodge the attack, and she rolled to the side as Bwua’tu was dropped to the ground, and one of the bridge’s crew called for a medic in order to stabilize their commander. The attacker was revealed to be the clawed Barabel Jedi Master Saba Sabatyne. She was flanked by Jedi Masters Doran and Tyria Sarkin Tainer, as well as twenty Mandalorians and Galactic Alliance troopers; and, judging from the incensed expressions on their faces, they were not happy with their intruder.

 

“This one implores you to stand down, now, or we will be forzed to cut you down where you stand, Sith.” Saba said as she activated her lightsaber and entered an attacking position, while the rest of Saba’s reinforcements readied their weapons for an all but certain counterattack.

 

What everyone did not expect, however, was that the undercover Sith dropped Bwua’tu down onto the ground, and, before anyone could react, unleashed a blinding flash of Force Lightning in an attempt to complete her mission, and then flee the bridge. However, before she could even attempt to do so, she found a lightsaber sticking out from her gut, and she painfully turned her head to see Saba standing behind her.

 

“H-how can you see me?” The Twi’lek groaned out as she felt the life slipping out from under her.

 

“Barabel eyez aren’t juzt for show, you know. We can see in many different kinds of light. Now, be gone.” Saba simply said as she finished off her enemy via decapitation, and then went to check up on the wounded Bwua’tu, who, due to the Sith Lady’s use of Force Choke, was struggling to breathe in much-needed oxygen. She then told Bwua’tu, “Do not worry, Supreme Commander. This one will stay by your side until help arrivez.” Bwua’tu simply blinked his eyes in gratitude of the gesture, and the remaining Jedi and soldiers set to work on informing the rest of the Shadow Alliance’s fleet of this troubling development, just as the as the Megador’s deep space alarms went off.”

 

_Two Minutes Later_

_0255 Hours_

_29.08 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_Onboard the_ Ralroost

 

“Please tell me that this is someone’s idea of a poorly-classed joke, because if it is, then I’ll have them merely lashed instead of shot for attempting to spread such disinformation.” Traest Kre’frey severely said to Jedi Master T’Ra Saa from her meditation chamber on the _Megador_.

 

“ _I haven’t made a joke in decades, Admrial Kre’frey, and I have no intention of starting now._ ” T’Ra grimly said before she continued, saying, “ _Supreme Commander Bwua_ _’tu has been injured by a Sith assassin, and I sense a large fleet inbound. It must be Krayt’s reinforcements. The most likely explanation is that Krayt ordered them to engage in order to cover his order’s retreat from Korriban._ ”

 

“ _But that still doesn’t explain why Krayt would move up his timetable, since he still has just over twenty-nine hours until his rituals are complete. He must-_ ” Azzim began to say before he heard someone’s datapad beep.

 

Everyone then turned to face Galactic Alliance Admiral Gavin Darklighter, who then picked up his datapad and quickly read the contents of the message. He quickly blanched at the material, and he said, “ _Well, this both raises and answers a lot of questions that we have. According to this, one of Chopper’s few remaining reprogrammed droids within Darth Krayt’s citadel learned that Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers have accelerated their ritual, and are now just over ten hours away from completing their rituals instead of twenty-nine._ ”

 

“ _Oh, come on! Can’t we ever get even one lousy break in this war?!?_ ” Edaan said as his holographic projection sagged in annoyance at having the stakes raised even higher.

 

“ _Apparently not._ ” Armand Vorn numbly said as he stood next to Edaan, Boba, Corran, Trista, and Jaina. He then continued, solemnly saying, “ _Well, we’ve got a strike force to lead, and you’ve got a new armada to deal with, so… May the Force be with us all in these last few hours._ ” He then left to prepare for the attack on Darth Krayt’s citadel, with Boba and the others leaving in order to prepare their strike force for the final push against the One Sith.

 

“ _Well, who should lead the Shadow Alliance’s forces in Bwua’tu’_ _s absence?_ ” Azzim hesitatingly said as he looked away to something that no one in this meeting could see.

 

“ _The Grey Cadre and Master Saa, as the former can be practical and not sacrifice non-Galactic Alliance forces for their own gain, and we need the latter for her skill in Battle Meditation, which will keep our forces unified against the Sith’s armada, which is about to come out of hyperspace, so I’d get the seven members of the Grey Cadre up to the bridge at once._ ” Aristocra Formbi hastily said, which the three other naval leaders agreed to, and Gavin used his datapad to order the seven Grey Cadre members up to the _Megador_ ’s bridge in order to take command.

 

Not even a minute later, seven dozen ships emerged from hyperspace, which were comprised of the eight missing Chiss Star Destroyers that Aristocra Formbi spoke of, twenty _Imperial_ II-class Star Destroyers, five _Lucrehulk_ -class battleships, two _Nebula_ -class Star Destroyers, twelve _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers, thirteen _Venerator_ -class Star Destroyers, three _Turbulent_ -class Star Destroyers, ten MC80a Star Cruisers, and fourteen _Chelandion_ -class warships, the latter of which shocked the young Hutt member of the Shadow Alliance’s High Command.

 

“ _What the?!? What are-? Oh, when I find the Hutt that’s aiding the One Sith, I’ll have them disemboweled by a Rancor!_ ” Azzim viciously said.

 

“ _There will be time to exact justice against the traitors within our ranks if we survive the coming battle, Lord Azzim._ ” Formbi grimly said as he ordered his forces to prepare for the coming battle, with all of the other naval commanders prepared to divert forces from their task forces to meet this new enemy armada.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on a chapter that sets the stage for more action on both the ground and space within the Horuset System. So, what did you guys think, as it took me about four days to write this chapter? Now then, on to other matters. I bought another book today, but I won’t tell you what it is, for fear of offending or angering anyone that differs from me in my political views. Anyway, I’m over halfway done with Michael Doran’s** **_Ike_ ** **_’_ ** **_s Gamble: America_ ** **_’s Rise to Dominance in the Middle East_ ** **, and once that’s done, I’ll read J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Silmarillion_ and _Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle Earth_ , as I need a break from grim reality, if you know what I mean. Oh, and speaking of Tolkien’s legacy, I’ve reserved a copy of Middle-Earth: Shadow of War: Gold Edition for the Xbox One at a local Target, and I can’t wait for that game, as I know that I will not be disappointed by the gaming experience. So, I hope that you all had a good day, which is June 19, 2017, because I did. Oh, and a word of warning: I won’t be able to write tomorrow because I will have a lot of work to take care of, so my next chapter will take a little bit longer to write than usual. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


	20. Chapter 19

**Good afternoon, all of my fellow Star Wars Expanded Universe buffs! How are you doing on this warm day of June 21, 2017? I am well, as I bought _Mass Effect: Discovery #1_ and ** **_Injustice 2 #4_ ** **at my local comic book store, and I was not disappointed by the content of each story. In addition, I received** **_Star Wars: Rebel Rising_ ** **and _Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills_ today through the mail, and I can’t wait to read both of those books, even though they are a part of the Disney Canon, as I can integrate them into my head canon with little to no difficulty. Anyway, I am sorry that I couldn’t write yesterday, but, as I said on Monday, I had work and a lot of other things to take care of. And, I’ve got a bit of homework to do this week, so my chapter might take a bit longer to write than I originally expected. Anyway, this chapter will have plenty of action on the ground, and, if I feel like it, in space as well, what, with Krayt’s timetable for his rituals moved up and his reinforcements have from across the galaxy have arrived. Oh, and, if you’re all wondering why I moved up the timetable for Krayt’s rituals, let me explain. You see, I don’t think that I can make a ground battle that lasts for up to twenty-nine hours straight, and I don’t want the battle to end too quickly, so I decided that Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers drew even deeper into the Dark Side of the Force in order to accelerate his plans. By the way, I am almost done with Michael Doran’s ** **_Ike_ ** **_’_ ** **_s Gamble: America_ ** **_’s Rise to Dominance in the Middle East_ ** **. Once it’s done, I can get to work on J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Silmarillion_ and _Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle Earth_. I think that I’ll save the two Star Wars books that I just got for my trip to Missouri next month. I’m going all by myself in order to visit some relatives that live there. Hey, I just realized that I’ve almost surpassed seventy-six thousand words in this story so far. I am sorry for constantly telling you how far I’ve written in this story, I’m just so proud of myself for writing so much. Anyway, I’d better get to work on this chapter, as I’ve got a lot of ground to cover in so little time. May the Force be with me.**

**(4:22 Addendum.) Hey, guys. Sorry for adding an addendum to this chapter, but I wanted to share with you two things. First, as of an hour ago, I’ve finished Michael Doran’s** **_Ike_ ** **_’_ ** **_s Gamble: America_ ** **_’s Rise to Dominance in the Middle East_ ** **, and it was a very powerful book. I highly encourage anyone who’s a fan of American history and politics, as it is very powerful and thought-provoking. Second, as of now, I’ve just realized that, as of three months ago, _Mass Effect: Andromeda_ has been released to the North American public. I also realize that today is the day that, in 2006, one of the greatest Star Wars Expanded Universe comics book series, _Star Wars: Legacy_ was released to the public, and I wish that that series was back, as we Expanded Universe lovers desperately crave Star Wars literature of the same quality of the days of old.**

**(June 22, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everyone. I am sorry of adding yet another addendum to this chapter, but I had some good news to share with each of you. As of eight hours ago, DaWitcher’s story, _The Witcher: My Heart Will Always Recognize You_ , was updated with its twenty-eighth chapter, and it was very emotional. I highly recommend it to any Geralt/Triss fan, as this story won’t disappoint. Oh, and, I’ve started to read J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Silmarillion_ , and I have a feeling that this will be one of the best books that I’ve ever read. It’s a pity that I’ll never reach the level of skill of writing that he, or his son, Christopher Tolkien, could reach. Anyway, back to the story.**

_Meanwhile, In the Shadow Alliance’s Forward Camp_

_0300 Hours_

_10.00 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

 

“How, in the name of the Force and all that is good and noble in the galaxy, can Krayt have his Sorcerers jump ahead nineteen hours in their rituals, and summon seven dozen capital ships from so many galactic governments?” Adari angrily ranted as she finished packing up her rations and the rest of her supplies for the final push into Krayt’s citadel, while Butch feasted on the meat of a dead Tuk’ata before everyone headed out.

 

“Well, it’s too late to change things, Adari. All we can do now is do our part in ending this shadow war.” Mirta sympathetically said as she made sure that her blasters’ power packs were fully charged, and she put on her sand-gold Mandalorian helmet.

 

“And avenge our fallen comrades.” Edaan grimly said as he thought of Robonino, Vua, Han, Leia, and all of the other people that nobly gave their lives to stop the One Sith and their proxies, and he felt a burning sense of rage course through his being until he remembered the Jedi teachings that Qui-Gon taught him, and breathed in his anger, and after a moment, let it go.

 

“Here, here.” AG-37 said in concurrence as he took several thermal detonators from the nearby armory in order to latch onto his satchel.

 

“Hey, guys.” Sintas said as she walked towards the four warriors and Butch and said, “It’s time to lead the troops. Be at the front in five minutes, or we’ll have to leave without you.”

 

“Don’t worry, Sintas. Tell, Mandalore that we’ll be there in three.” Edaan calmly said as he calmed his frazzled nerves and stood up, with Butch and the rest of his comrades following him. Soon enough, they arrived to where Boba, Jaina, Vestara, Edaan, and Kyle, who was appointed to be Luke’s replacement as a leader of the strike force, were talking with the rest of the task force, and each member was arguing with one another over the drastic development in their mission.

 

In order to keep everyone from losing their minds due to the new stress, Edaan, after looking at the four other strike force leaders, who each gave him a nod of approval, yelled with all of his lungs’ strength, “ENOUGH!!!” Once everyone quieted down, Edaan began to passionately speak, saying, “I see in your eyes, the same fear that I carry within my heart, as this mission will determine the fate of the galaxy.”

 

 _Not off to a good start, Edaan._ Boba simply thought as he listened to the Jedi Master speak, while seeing some of the troops and Force users shuffle their feet nervously at Edaan’s words.

 

But, to everyone’s surprise, Edaan changed the tone of his speech, zealously saying, “But, there is more than just the galaxy at stake here. This fight is not just for us, but for our families, our children, and our children’s children. If we can’t win here, and the One Sith take over the galaxy, then our children will be no better than slaves of their rule. Do you want that?”

 

“ **NO!!!** ” Everyone said as they thought of their loved ones at the mercy of thousands of all-powerful despots.

 

“Then follow us as we end this Sith threat, once and for all, and bring a lasting peace to all of our loved ones. **ARE YOU WITH US?!?** ” He roared, with everyone roaring in affirmation of following Edaan and the others into Chaos itself.

 

“Well, I’ll say this, Adari. Your husband’s got quite the charismatic streak going for him.” X2 said in admiration of Edaan as he rallied the soldiers and Force users to join him in one last push against the Sith.

 

“That he does, Master X2. That he does.” Adari said as she teared up at her husband becoming the leader he was destined to be.

 

_Thirty Minutes Later_

_0335 Hours_

_9.42 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_1.4 Kilometers from Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

_Well, no one said that this would be easy. But why did I get stuck facing an old man with a vibro-axe to grind with the destroyed Jedi Order?_ Adari grimly thought as she used Teras Käsi to parry Darth See-Chok’s Force-enhanced punches and kicks.

 

All around her, the Shadow Alliance was facing heavy opposition from three hundred Sith acolytes and five hundred Mandalorians and other various corrupt forces. However, despite the struggle, they were slowly gaining ground against their dark counterparts, and had advanced half a kilometer in half an hour.

 

As she struggled to find an opening in See-Chok’s technique, she quickly found her body slowing down from exhaustion, which made her regret only getting two two-hour naps in-between her watches.

 

“Well, well.” See-Chok sneeringly said before he continued to taunt the Keshiri Palpatine, saying, “I don’t know what Edaan sees in you, because you’re weak, spineless, and a disgrace of life. Actually, I do see it, because he’s all of those things too, so you guys are a perfect match!”

 

He then jeeringly laughed at Adari, who, in addition to the righteous anger that now coursed throughout her being for the Sith Lord insulting her husband, she saw an opening in See-Chok’s defenses, and fired her hidden blaster into See-Chok’s right shoulder, which made him scream out in pain as his right arm helplessly dangled by his side. She then used a series of Force-enhanced jabs on his stomach in order to knock the breath out of the aged Sith Lord.

 

After falling onto the hard ground, Adari then blasted See-Chok’s other shoulder, making him scream in pain yet again. Adari then angrily said, “Now who’s a weak disgrace of life? You’re coming with me, Shon-Ju, because you’re going to tell the rest of the Shadow Alliance who Darth Krayt really is.”

 

Shon-Ju then laughed maniacally, which greatly surprised Adari, and, after about thirty seconds, his laughter died down, and he venomously said, “I will never betray Lord Krayt to the weak Jedi. I… will… before I give away any intelligence to the whore of Sidious’s most pathetic descendant.” Darth See-Chok said as he searched around in his mouth for what he was looking for, before he found a false tooth and bit down hard on it.

 

Adari, realizing what was happening, immediately got out her comlink and said, “I need a medic here, stat! Darth See-Chok just took a cyanide pill, and we need him alive for intel.”

 

“It’s too late, Adari.” See-Chok said as foam began to come out of his mouth, and he continued, weakly saying, “Your precious Jedi Order will fall, and the Sith will rule once again. Long… live… Darth Krayt!” His head then fell slack, and he stopped breathing, leaving a disappointed Adari alone to take a few deep breaths in order to calm her disturbed soul.

 

Once she regained her bearings, she spoke into her comlink again, and solemnly said, “Scratch the medic. Darth See-Chok is now dead. I’m going to join the front in pushing the Sith back to their citadel.” She then ran to where the fighting was fiercest in order to aid the beleaguered One Sith forces.

 

_Meanwhile, In the Horuset System_

_Onboard the_ Megador

 

T’Ra Saa’s roots enveloped her meditation chamber as she continued to immerse herself in the Force with her Battle Meditation. Through the Force, she senses each sentient that belongs to the fleets of both the Shadow Alliance and the One Sith, and works to influence the One Sith’s naval forces to surrender, and coordinate the Shadow Alliance’s diverse navies to victory against their enemies.

 

On the surface of Korriban, she felt the death of the former Jedi Youngling Shon-Ju, and shed a single tear for the loss of this once vibrant and noble soul before he was corrupted by sense of betrayal that the Jedi Order of old dealt him, and the anger at losing his hands due to his desire for vengeance.

 

She felt every soul alive and fighting for their very survival. She felt her old friend and comrade, K’Kruhk fight with a heavy heart against his former charge, Sidirri, who was now Darth Sedriss. She felt the two lovers, Ben Skywalker and Vestara Khai, fight as one against their enemies. She felt Tau Palpatine battle against the darkness within his own soul as he cut down one Sith Lord after another. But the soul that she felt the strongest was Edaan Palpatine, for he had not only his own powerful connection to the Force, but the strength of five of the greatest deceased Jedi Masters of all time. Even from her meditation chamber, she felt that he would be the shatterpoint that would determine whether the Light would triumph over the Dark, whether peace would finally reign, or the galaxy would have to endure even more untold suffering.

 

Returning her focus to the battle, she directed the Shadow Alliance’s forces against the One Sith’s significant fleet, and, searching for a weakness in their formation, she found it at the heart of the fleet. She then directed several squadrons of Jedi bombers and fighters to the location in order to throw the enemy fleet into disarray.

 

 _Concurrently, On the_ Megador’s _Bridge_

“I would have thought that the Sith would have brought more ships to this battle.” Releqy A’Kla neutrally said in observation of the battle that was beginning to unfold.

 

“They have enough ships and fighters to give them an edge in this battle, Senator, as we’ve got a blockade to maintain and stay on the defensive in this war.” Galactic Alliance commodore Turk Brand grimly said as he then looked away as he listened into his comlink, and, once deactivating the comlink, he said, “Bwua’tu’s been stabilized, but he won’t be able to resume command of the fleet. He needs at least three days of rest before he is able to walk again, and we don’t have even half of that time.”

 

“Well, we need to prevent the enemy fleet from destabilizing the occupation of Korrban, so we need a plan, and we need it now.” Said the Gotal Galactic Alliance senator Ta’laam Ranth, who did not look confident of the Shadow Alliance’s chances of victory.

 

“Divert the Kuat, Hapan, Imperial, and Confederation fleets to meet the One Sith’s fleet, and send two wings of StealthXs to reinforce their position, while the Hutt fleet remains on standby, ready to reinforce the four former fleets if needed, and the Rothana, Dac, Chiss, Mandalorian, and former ex-Neo Death Watch fleets stay to blockade Korriban.” Galactic Alliance general Etahn A’baht grimly said to the Megador’s communications officer, who worked quickly to relay the message. Soon enough, the four fleets and their Jedi reinforcements diverted from their positions in order to engage the One Sith’s navy, and the Hutt fleet moved to reinforce their allies if need be. And, once the battle began in earnest, ships of various sizes began to explode in destruction, and the final naval battle of the Shadow Alliance began.

 

_Thirty Minutes Later_

_0408 Hours_

_8.87 Hours Until Darth Krayt_ _’s Rituals Commence_

_In Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

“ _Progress report._ ” Darth Krayt said into his personal comlink as his Shadow Hand, Darth Wyyrlok, prepared the Sith troopers for their push against the Shadow Alliance forces.

 

“The fleets have arrived in the Horuset System, and are engaging four of the Shadow Alliance’s fleets as we speak, weakening the blockade over Korriban, as you foresaw, my master. Down here, the Sith troopers will be ready for your command in twenty minutes, Lord Krayt. Unfortunately, Darth See-Chok was killed by Adari Thayn Palpatine, and the Shadow Alliance is pushing back our forces with minimal casualties. They’ll be at the citadel within the hour.” Wyyrlok gravely said.  

 

“ _Then we will make his sacrifice count, and destroy this pitiful alliance with the full power of the Dark Side._ ” Krayt angrily said before he took a deep breath to calm his frazzled nerves, and said, “ _What of our agents onboard the_ Megador? _Did they manage to kill Bwua’tu and destroy the_ _Super Star Destroyer?”_

 

“Unfortunately, no, Lord Krayt. Jedi Master Saba Sabatyne was able to kill Darth Traya before she could complete her mission, and Bwua’tu was only incapacitated. And, the Jedi managed to root out our remaining agents onboard the _Megador_ , as well as several other ships, which means that the Shadow Alliance must have managed to decrypt the personnel information that Chopper managed to steal.” Wyyrlok grimly said, expecting to snap his neck for reporting even more dire news to him.

 

It was why Krayt surprised the Chagrian when he simply said, “ _Unfortunate, then. We will simply have to deal with the Shadow Alliance the old-fashioned way, then. Unleash the Sith Troopers in thirty minutes, and I will join you in order to personally lead the attack._ ”

 

“Understood, Lord Krayt.” Wyyrlok obediently said as he shut off the comlink and took a deep breath of relief, due to Krayt forgiving him for his previous blunder, as well as not killing him for being the bearer of terrible news. He then walked to where the three hundred Sith Troopers were located in order to finish their preparations for the carnage that would soon escalate.

 

_Simultaneously, Within the Catacombs of Korriban_

_1.3 Kilometers from Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

Mandalorian Vindicator Brigade Commander Sabine Wren, Lira San navy supreme commander Garazeb Orrelios, and blaster-wielding astromech droid C1-10P, better known as “Chopper” to his friends, were used to fighting against powerful armies from their time with the Rebel Alliance, as well as during their individual parts in fighting the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion during the four-year long war of devastation and ruin. However, this war was not like any other war that they fought, as it was against an army of Force Sensitives that were fighting against utter destruction, but desired to take over the galaxy for their own selfish designs.

 

The two old comrades were even fighting against their corrupted friend, Ezra Bridger, now the Sith Lord and Beast Lord known as Darth Snoke, one of Darth Krayt’s personal lieutenants, and the murderer of their fellow Spectres, the two lovers General Hera Syndullla and Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus, and Clone Captain Rex before he deserted the Rebel Alliance shortly after the Battle of Yavin during the First Galactic Civil War, and was presumed dead on Korriban, where he remained for twenty-five years before he was discovered by Darth Krayt, and became one of the first members of his One Sith order.

 

The four fighters were evenly matched, as Snoke was nimbly fending off the lightsaber strikes from Sabine and her Darksaber, Zeb with his bo-rifle in its electrostaff mode, and a trigger-happy Chopper with his two blasters on his manipulator arms, while the Sith beasts that were being controlled by Snoke were being decimated by the coordinated efforts of Edaan, Adari, Tau, Jaden, Kyle, and X2, who kept the many tuk’atas, terentateks, shyracks, hssisses, and wraids that were aiding the One Sith in their defense of their citadel.

 

“You three can’t keep this up, forever, you know! You’ll tire out.” Snoke vilely said as he locked blades with Sabine, and both former Spectres struggled to gain an advantage over the other.

 

“And you’re not as perfect as you think that you are, Ezra. You’ll make a mistake, and when you do, we’ll be there to take you down.” Sabine said through gritted teeth and, as she saw an opportunity to gain the advantage over her former friend, said, “Activate Code 10!” With that phrase uttered, the Mandalorian vambraces that Journeyman Protector Fenn Rau gave her during her training to master the Darksaber, which were equipped with a [repulsor](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Repulsorlift), [grappling line](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Grappling_line), [paralyzing darts](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Paralyzing_dart), a shield emitter, a [flamethrower](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Flamethrower) and paired blaster barrels, activated, and a powerful blast of air went into Snoke’s face, and sent him flying into a cave wall, knocking his lightsaber out of his hands, and taking the wind out of his lungs.

 

“Perfect plan, Sabine!” Zeb said in commandment of his friend’s tactical skills while he reconfigured his bo-rifle into its rifle mode, and then took aim at his former bunkmate’s head in order to kill him and avenge the murders of Kanan, Hera, and Rex.

 

However, before he could fire, Sabine said, “Wait! Don’t kill him.” These four words left both Zeb and Chopper flabbergasted as they turned their heads to Sabine.

 

“You had better be joking, Sabine, because I have no intention of keeping this scum alive.” Zeb grimly said to the Mandalorian.

 

“Look, I have no intention of letting Darth Snoke live, Zeb.” Sabine said in order to reassure her friend. She then continued to speak, saying, “But I want Ezra Bridger to live again and atone for the crimes that the Sith holocron brainwashed him into doing.”

 

“Oh, give me a break, Sabine! Don’t tell me that you’ve got the same kind of crazy that Edaan has!” Zeb exasperatingly said as he primed his bo-rifle to shoot.

 

“Yes, I am, Zeb. Look at all that he’s done in his short life: He’s redeemed countless criminals and Sith, and united the galaxy against the Dark Side with nothing but his sheer force of will. He even managed to tame a tuk’ata hound from Korriban, and now he’s a gentle as Anji.” Sabine said as she referred to Anji, Allana’s pet nexu that was roaming the gardens of the Jedi Temple of Shedu Maad.

 

“You really think that Edaan can reach whatever’s left of Ezra, if he’s even still down there?” Zeb skeptically said as he kept his bo-rifle aimed at Snoke.

 

“Look at it this way, Zeb. We can’t reveal Krayt’s true identity, but Ezra can if he’s freed from the Sith’s control.” Sabine said as she activated her helmet’s built-in comlink, and said, “Edaan, Zeb, Chopper, and I have incapacitated Darth Snoke, and we need your help to save him. Get to our position at once.”

 

“ _How do you plan to…_?” Edaan began to say before he understood what Sabine was implying, and he then said, “ _All right. I’ll be there in less than one minute. Let’s hope that your plan works, or we’ll all pay the price for your gamble._ ” He then cut the connection, and made his way to the four warriors within thirty seconds.

 

He then said, “Well, let’s get started on the ritual, because we need all of the help that we can get in stopping the Sith.”

 

“Wait, wait, wait. What ritual?” Zeb skeptically said.

 

“The same ritual that is allowing Butch to fight for us.” Edaan said in complete seriousness as he prepared his body for his life-transference technique.

 

“Sabine, you can’t really think that this will work, do you?” Zeb said in disbelief as Edaan put a hand on Snoke’s unconscious head and began to transfer a portion of his life essence into the Sith Lord, cleansing the darkness that had gripped the former Jedi’s heart for so many decades.

 

“I know that Edaan’s a miracle worker, and he managed to redeem Vestara Khai, take down Natasi Daala for good, and redeem the Jedi Order in the Galactic Alliance’s eyes, which no one thought could be done, so I’d say that he could succeed here, too.” Sabine said as he watched the procedure very closely.

 

“Ugh! You people are all crazy!” Zeb despondently said as he and Chopper sighed in disappointment at not being able to kill another Sith Lord.

 

“Shut up, you boys, and let Edaan concentrate.” Sabine said in scolding as Edaan finished his purging, and opened his eyes and got up from his spot.

 

Edaan then said, “All right. I purged the holocron’s darkness from Ezra. Now, we have to wait and hope for the best.” As soon as Edaan said those words, a miracle began to occur: Snoke’s veins began to revert to their natural red shade instead of dark purple, and Edaan sensed the Sith Lord begin to stir from his blackout. And, for the first time in fifty-seven years, Darth Snoke did not open his yellow eyes, but Ezra Bridger opened his blue ones. And the first words that he said were in disbelief, as he said, “Zeb? Sabine? Chopper?”

 

**Well, that ends a chapter that I managed to write in just two short days! Hard to believe that I wrote over four thousand words in around forty-eight hours, and that there were so many twists and turns in this chapter alone, from the beginning of another fleet battle, to T’Ra Saa’s reflections, and the redemption of Ezra Bridger. So, what did you think of this chapter, as it paves the way for even greater action, suspense, and surprises in my final story? Anyway, have you guys seen _Transformers: The Last Knight_ , because I plan to see it on Sunday with my dad, and I can’t wait for the action-packed blockbuster movie to become ingrained in my brain. Anyway, I hope that you are having a good day on June 22, 2017, because I sure did, and now I plan to read more of J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Silmarillion_ tonight, and I can’t wait for more of that piece of literary gold. So, have a good night. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	21. Chapter 20

**Good afternoon, everyone. How are you on the warm day of June 23, 2017? I am exhausted, as I have worked out at a local gym, and mowed my parents’ front lawn, and now I’m ready for a nap, which I can’t take, as I’ve got some homework to do after I write for a while, and I suspect that it will take me a bit of time to complete. Anyway, I’ve continued to read J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Silmarillion_ , and I haven’t been disappointed with the novel in the slightest, and I haven’t even read a third of the book yet. So, next week I’ll be heading back to the local help center in order to give a portion of my time to those who are in need, which is always a good thing to do. Oh, and, before I forget, how many of you desperately crave more Star Wars Expanded Universe content, as well as ** **_Dragon Age_ ** **, _Mass Effect_ , and _The Witcher_ video games, as those sagas are beyond epic. However, I have to confess that I am falling in love with Tolkien’s _Lord of the Rings_ universe immensely, and, while I will always love the Star Wars Expanded Universe more than any other saga, I feel that Tolkien’s saga is just as good, if not better, then that universe, for it derived elements from so many cultures, and, throughout it all, he created a brilliant saga while managing to stay true to his religious views, and he never once compromised his values by selling out his creations for profit, as was evidenced by the Lucasfilm Story Group and its betrayal and eradication of the Expanded Universe (But that’s just my opinion, and I have strong feelings regarding the matter, so don’t take it personal.) Well, personal feelings aside, I’d better get to work on this chapter, as I have a good idea on what I want to happen in this chapter. Fair warning, it will be fairly dark, as it will have another death, maybe two, if I feel like it, in the Dramatis Personae, and it will be ones that you will never see coming. May the Force be with me as I write the twentieth chapter in this glorious story. **

**(June 24, 2017 Addendum.) Good evening, everyone. How are you doing on this dreary day? I am well, as I’ve done some homework, and am ready to resume writing on my fanfiction. But first, I would like to thank Donder1999 and RC1115-06 for taking a little time out of your busy schedules to read and review my stories, as it warms my heart to know that people like my stories, as well as appreciate the original Expanded Universe. So, what are you doing tomorrow, as I am going to church with my mother and sister, seeing _Transformers: The Last Knight_ with my father (which I know will be an epic masterpiece), going to an Italian restaurant with my family, and then finishing my homework for the week? It looks like that I’ve got a busy day ahead of me, so I’d better get started on writing. May the Force be with me.**

**(June 25, 2017 Addendum.) Good evening, all of my friends. How are you doing on this warn day? I am well, as I’ve completed my homework for the week, I saw _Transformers: The Last Knight_ with my father today (Which he didn’t like, which I intensely disagree with, as that was the best _Transformers_ movie yet, in my opinion.), and I went to the Italian restaurant with my family, and the food there was delicious. Oh, and I’ve been plowing through J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Silmarillion_ today, and I’ve been enjoying every page of it. I should be done with it in three days, max. Well, back to the story. **

As Edaan slowly got up to his feet, and struggled to stay on his feet due to the further depletion of his strength from transferring a portion of his life force into the former Sith Lord, Zeb came up to him and kept him from falling onto the ground, and said in concern, “You okay, Edaan?”

 

“Yeah. I’ll live, Zeb.” Edaan said as he took in several deep breaths and used his newfound Force reserves to replenish the energy that he sacrificed in order to purge the darkness that Sorzus Syn’s holocron infected Ezra Bridger for so long.

 

He then turned to face Sabine, who was helping a spiritually wounded Ezra up to his feet as he mumbled incoherently to himself in regret and pain.

 

“What have I done?” Ezra brokenly said in horror as the rush of memoires of all of his sins and transgressions that he committed ever since he acquired Sorzus Syn’s holocron. “How could I have killed Kanan, Hera, and Rex? They were three of my closest friends, and they were a part of our family.”

 

“It wasn’t all your fault, Ezra. The holocron played off of your fears and grief, and warped you into the evil that you fought so hard against for five years.” Sabine sympathetically said to one of her oldest surviving friends as she laid an arm around his shoulder in order to prevent him from falling.

 

“That doesn’t offer me any comfort, Sabine. Regardless of what outside forces and circumstances, I chose to become a murderer, and I chose to become a Sith Lord, causing untold strife and chaos across the galaxy for one man’s madness.” Ezra morosely said as he hung his head down in shame, while Zeb looked on with a look that displayed both disgust for Ezra’s self-pity, and sympathy for his friend’s predicament.

 

“Well, you can start to redeem yourself for your sins right now, Ezra, because the Shadow Alliance needs all of the help that we can get in stopping Krayt’s insanity.” Edaan said as he offered Ezra his Sith Lightsaber, and Ezra simply stared at it as if it was contaminated by a lethal disease.

 

“I’m beyond redemption, Edaan. I can’t change the past, or bring back the ones that I killed.” Ezra sadly said before he took the lightsaber, and, with a newfound determination that surged throughout his entire being, said he then said, “But, I can at least try to atone for it.”

 

“That’s the Ezra Bridger that we know!” Sabine said with certainty, while Chopper went up to Ezra and shocked him, earning a streak of expletives from the reformed Sith Lord,

 

Meanwhile, Zeb looked at the display with great amusement before he came up to Ezra, and said, “Hey, Bridger?” Ezra then looked up to his Lasat friend, and the elder warrior then said in a challenging tone, “Let’s see if old age hasn’t slowed you down.”

 

At those words, Ezra then brightly smiled, and said, “Oh, you’re so on, Zeb.” With that said, the two friends then ran to where the fighting was the fiercest, leaving Edaan, Butch, and Sabine in hot pursuit of the two old rivals before they got themselves killed for their recklessness.

 

“Were those two always so competitive?” Edaan nonchalantly asked as he saw the two comrades enter the fray and cut and shoot their way through the One Sith’s ranks.

 

“Oh, you have no idea.” Sabine annoyingly said as she recalled the first few weeks of Ezra being a Spectre, and ignited her Darksaber in preparation for rejoining the battle.

 

_Five Minutes Later_

_0420 Hours_

_8.67 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

 

For all of the crimes and betrayals that Sidirri had dealt K’Kruhk during her time under his charge before she fled and became the sadistic and maniacal Sith Lady known as Darth Sedriss, the Whiphid Jedi Council Member could not bring himself to fully commit his efforts to killing Sedriss, as he still held onto a shred of hope that the woman could still be redeemed.

 

“Sidirri, I can’t imagine the level of pain that you’ve had to endure all on your own in a galaxy that was ruled by Darth Sidious. It must have scarred you even further than you already were, and I am so sorry that I wasn’t there to help you.” K’Kruhk sympathetically said to the deranged Sith Lady.

 

Sedriss then snarled in response, and dementedly said, “The pain that I endured gave me the strength to keep going, and made me see that the galaxy needs a firm and strong hand in order to prevent fools from ruining the natural state of things! And the fact that I get to kill a lot of people, including the weak Jedi Order and all of its allies is a bonus.” She then maniacally laughed to K’Kruhk, who could only look on in horror as the truth of the depths that Sidirri had sunk to, and that there was truly no way for him to reach her.

 

Steeling himself for what would soon occur, K’Kruhk then solemnly said, “Then may the Force show you mercy, for I can show you none after all that you’ve done to so many people. I will do what I must to stop you and your madness.”

 

Sedriss then viciously smirked as she said, “You will try, Master K’Kruhk, but you will fail miserably, and I will make sure that your last moments will be spent in excruciating agony as we slaughter all of your friends.” She then saw Darth Snoke running towards her, and her smirk grew even wider as she said, “Well, it looks like your death will come sooner than we expected, K’Kruhk. Say your prayers to the Force, because you’ll soon be One with it soon enough.”

 

K’Kruhk then turned to see what Sedriss was smirking at, and he saw Zeb running a few dozen feet behind Snoke, and he sensed the Light Side emanating from both Snoke and Zeb, which made K’Kruhk smile in relief as he said, “Actually, I think that you’re the one who is about to be outnumbered, Sedriss.”

 

“What?” Sedriss said as she turned to face a determined and blue-eyed Ezra Bridger, along with an equally determined Garazeb Orrelios behind him with his bo-rifle in its electrostaff mode, charging right for his position, and she insane Sith Lady then realized that she was now the one at a severe disadvantage, and barely managed to fend off both K’Kruhk and Ezra’s lightsabers, and Zeb’s electrostaff. As she barely managed to evade the follow-up attacks, she yelled to Ezra, saying, “Why you miserable, _karking_ traitor! What gives, Snoke? Did your friends’ mushy garbage get to your head, because I’ll be more than happy to remove it from your shoulders if that’s the case?”

 

“Okay, first off, my friends do not speak ‘mushy garbage’. Second, Edaan purged the accursed Sith holocron’s influence from my mind in order to set me free, and now I’m here in order to atone for my crimes while as Darth Snoke.” Ezra ardently said as he clashed with Sedriss, allowing K’Kruhk to come in from behind and sever Sedriss’s right arm, which held her lightsaber, which went flying across the cavern.

 

As Sedriss screamed in agony, she soon found herself on the ground as Zeb grabbed her head and threw her onto the dirt, causing her even more pain. She struggled to get back up, only to find Zeb’s bare foot stepping hard on her back, which gave her an even greater amount of excruciating pain.

 

“Stop, Sedriss. This is over!” K’Kruhk severely said as he came up to Sedriss and prepared to knock her out if she tried to kill herself like See-Chok did.

 

“It’ll be over when I’m dead, you miserable sacs of flesh!” Sedriss venomously said as she charged up her energy for one final attack that no one would see coming.

 

“Don’t make us kill you, Sedriss. I got out of the Dark Side’s grip, and you can still too.” Ezra implored to the wicked Sith Lady.

 

Sedriss then cackled in an insane manner, which greatly confused the three Shadow Alliance members, before Edaan, Sabine, and Chopper came into view, and the former said, “Everyone, get away from there!” Upon hearing Edaan’s urgent voice, and looking confused at his warning, he then sighed in exasperation and said, “LOOK UP!” Once Edaan said those two words, the two Jedi and their Lasat ally saw the stalagmites above them crack as they were about to fall on top of them.

Ezra, K’Kruhk, and Zeb then tried to get Sedriss, but she discharged lightning from her sole remaining hand, which discouraged them from trying to capture her, and then rapidly fled the area, leaving a cackling Sedriss to her doom as she insanely shouted, “LONG LIVE THE ONE SITH!!!” She was then impaled by a falling stalagmite, and the life quickly fled from her malevolent being, resulting in an explosion of Dark Side energy that blew the six warriors onto the ground from the force of the shockwave.

 

After a minute of waiting to see if it was safe to get back up, each of the six warriors then got up to their feet, and K’Kruhk, after taking a moment of silence to mourn for the loss of his former charge, then said to both Ezra and Zeb, “Thank you both for your timely assistance. I doubt that I could have defeated Sedriss so easily without your aid. But, Snoke, if I might ask, why did you choose now to come and assist us?”

 

“Yeah, you can thank Edaan for that, Master K’Kruhk.” Ezra said as he bashfully rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment before he continued, saying, “He transferred a portion of his life essence into my soul in order to purify it from the taint of Sorzus Syn’s holocron, and left me determined to atone for my sins.”

 

“Well, I suppose that saving my life is a good start in that direction, old friend.” Zeb jokingly said as he playfully shoved Ezra, which made him shove Zeb right back for old time’s sake.

 

“Indeed, Ezra Bridger.” K’Kruhk said as he smiled at the restored friendship between both Ezra and Zeb before he continued, saying, “In fact, I think that I would like to, at least for the time being, instate you into the reconstituted Jedi Order as a full-fledged Jedi Knight, effective immediately.”

 

All four warriors’ jaws fell agape at K’Kruhk’s proposition, but none were more surprised than Ezra, who disbelievingly said, “Forgive me for asking, Master K’Kruhk, but, why would you offer me Knighthood into the Jedi Order after all that I did in the service of the Sith?”

 

“Because, Ezra, like Edaan here, I believe in redemption and second chances, and we need all of the help that we can get in order to stop Krayt and his rituals. If we survive this war, then we can decide if you’ve earned a pardon for your sins.” K’Kruhk earnestly said.

 

Unfortunately, before Ezra could reply, he saw a shadow move in the darkness, and, as he ran towards K’Kruhk, he shouted, “LOOK OUT!!! ABOVE YOU!!!” He then found a wide slash across his chest, and crumpled to the ground as the life within him began to flee from his body.

 

“EZRA!!!” Sabine and Zeb distraughtly shouted as they, as well as a panicking Chopper, ran to their fallen friend, while Edaan and K’Kruhk kept their minds in the here and now and searched for the assassin who wounded Ezra, and found no sight of them.

 

Once they made sure that they were safe from any imminent danger, the two Jedi Masters quickly made their way to the four Spectres, and, once Edaan saw the extent of Ezra’s wounds, sadly said, “I’m so sorry, guys, but Ezra’s wounds are too extensive, and there’s not enough time to get him to a medic.”

 

“Then you guys have to do your best to heal him, because we are not losing anyone else to the Sith’s hands!” Zeb ardently said in denial as he gently held his former bunkmate.

 

“N-no, Zeb. They have to save their strength for the fight ahead, as Krayt, Wyyrlok, and my killer, Wyyrlok’s daughter, Sorzus, are still out there, and if even one of them escapes, they can restart the One Sith, and this war will eventually start up all over again.” Ezra said as he fought through the excruciating pain that coursed through his numbing body. “Besides, it’s too late for me. All I can do now is await whatever judgment that the Force has in store for me, and hope for the best for the Shadow Alliance and the galaxy.” Ezra solemnly said as he felt his life force rapidly bleed out of his body. Then, with the last of his remaining strength, he said, “ _Sabine. Zeb. Chopper. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, so all I ask of you is to tell the galaxy my story, the good and the bad, and let the rest be judged accordingly. The rest… is silence. May the F-Force be with you all, my friends…”_ With his final words uttered, Ezra allowed his hold over his body to end, and he breathed his last, with a tearful Sabine and Zeb, as well as a sorrowful Edaan, K’Kruhk, and Chopper looking over him.

 

The five remaining warriors then saw the last thing that anyone expected: Ezra’s corpse began to dissipate into nothingness, and, after a handful of seconds, nothing was left behind but his Sith lightsaber and his robes. All of the Shadow Alliance members looked on in shock as they took in what had just transpired, and Sabine looked to Edaan and wondrously asked the Jedi Master, “This is what happened to Ulic Qel-Droma after Hoggon killed him after his redemption by Vima Sunrider, isn’t it, Edaan?”

 

“Yes, Sabine. Almost exactly the same.” Edaan said as the shock of what had just happened began to wear off, and he realized that there was still a war to win. He then sympathetically said, “I hate to seem to be the coldly unsympathetically one in this tragic situation, but we have an army of Sith to deal with. We can mourn Ezra’s death after we take down Krayt and his remaining followers.”

 

“Yes. You’re right, Edaan. We’ll have all the time to mourn Ezra’s death after we avenge him and eradicate Krayt’s demented Sith order.” Sabine solemnly said as she gave Edaan Ezra’s lightsaber, and said, “I think that you’ll need this in order to kill more of those Sith bastards.”

 

“Yeah. Thanks, Sabine.” Edaan numbly said as he took the lightsaber, and stood up from where he was sitting in order to prepare to return to the battlefield, with K’Kruhk and Sabine standing up as well while Zeb and Chopper were still in shock over the death of their beloved friend and fellow Spectre.

 

“Zeb, Chopper? Come on, we have to go, or we won’t be able to honor Ezra’s last moments.” Sabine said in great sympathy towards her old comrade.

 

“Yeah. I know, Sabine.” Zeb said as he let go of Ezra’s robes, and shed several heartbroken tears from his eyes in pain and sorrow as he readied his electrostaff. Chopper said nothing as he followed the four other warriors, ready to kill every single Sith who stood in-between him and his vengeance.

 

**Well, that ends the most heartbreaking chapter of my story yet. So, what did you think of this gut-wrenching chapter? Before you say anything, let me explain a few things: Yes, I had Ezra Bridger and Darth Sedriss killed in the same chapter, but I had good reasons for doing so. First off, I wanted to kill off Darth Sedriss in a battle that involved K’Kruhk, as it would be symbolic in a way for reasons that I am sure that you can figure out. Second, I hated Darth Sedriss, as she was a vicious sociopath that deserved death. Third, and finally, Ezra, even if he was redeemed, needed to die, as he couldn’t be allowed to reveal Krayt’s true identity to K’Kruhk before the _Legacy_ comics. Now then, the action will greatly escalate in the next chapter with the introduction of Krayt’s reinforcements. Whether or not all of our heroes survive, that’s another thing for you guys to debate about. Well, I guess that that’s it for a very short chapter of my story. I can’t believe that I wrote this in just three measly days. If only that this chapter was longer. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


	22. Chapter 21

**Good afternoon, everyone! How are you doing on this warm day of June 26, 2017? I am well, as I’ve finished J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Silmarillion_ today, and I am ready to get started on _Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-Earth_ after I do some writing. And, I helped my mother do some hedging around the house, which was quite a workout, and I helped her out with some grocery shopping. So, where we last left off, Ezra Bridger was killed by Sorzus, and the Shadow Alliance was making headway to Darth Krayt’s Citadel. I can assure you that, in either this chapter or the next one, the Shadow Alliance strike force will be in for the fight of its life. Now then, I have to thank Master Skywalker 121 for his heartfelt review. I apologize for killign off Ezra Bridger so quickly, but I had my reasons, and I hope that you understand that. I have to tell you that I cannot kill off Krayt, as he must survive this story in order to return in the _Star Wars: Legacy_ comics. But, that doesn’t mean that I’m going to make his survival an easy victory, however. Anyway, I’d better get back to writing, as I’ve got at least over four thousand words to write in tribute to the true Expanded Universe. **

**(June 28, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everybody. How are you doing on this warm day of June 28, 2017? I am well, as I’ve gotten a good book about Generals Marshall, Patton, and MacArthur at a local Wal-Mart at a bargained price, got some ice cream from a local ice cream shop, and did most, if not all, of my homework for this week. So, I’d say that this has been a very productive day for me. By the way, I’ve noticed that a number of articles that speak well of the Expanded Universe have been popping up all over the internet, and I am pleased with this result, as it gives me hope that one day, hopefully soon, as in, within a couple of years, the Original (And, in my opinion, True) Expanded Universe in all of its previous wonder and excitement. So, I have decided that I will include the soundtrack song, _Transformers: Dark of the Moon: It’s Our Fight_ , within one of the soon-to-be-published chapters, as it seems appropriate, with the final battle that is about to kick off between the Shadow Alliance and the One Sith. I’ll let you know when I’d like you to imagine the music playing, as it will make the battle much more epic. Oh, and I’ve decided to include one of X Ambassador’s latest songs, ** **_Torches_ ** **, which was featured as the song for the end credits scene of _Transformers: The Last Knight_ , which I loved for the symbolism involved, as well as the emotions that this song invoked within my soul. One more thing, as of now, I’ve finished about one third of J.R.R. Tolkien’s _Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-Earth_ , and I am loving the book. Well, I’d better get back to writing, as I know that I’ve still got a long way to go in writing this chapter. **

**(June 29, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, all of my fellow Star Wars Expanded Universe enthusiasts! How are you doing on this warm day? I am well, as I got a haircut today, and I got my much-anticiapted review about what I’ve writen so far in this story from my good friend and fellow fanfictoin writer and Expanded Universe lover, Powerslammer, and I greatly appreciate his praise, as it further motivates me to finish my works. Anyway, I’d better get back to writing, as I plan to finish this story by tonight, at the latest.**

_Five Minutes Later_

_0430 Hours_

_8.50 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

 

“Where’s Edaan and Sabine?!? We need them!” Mirta angrily shouted as she blasted away at a wraid that came too close to her when she noticed a change in the Sith beasts’ attack patterns: the various tuk’atas, terentateks, shyracks, hssisses, and wraids that were attempting to kill the Shadow Alliance strike force were now uncoordinated and undisciplined, which gave the besieged freedom fighters an opportunity to press their newfound advantage.

 

“All forces, we have a brief window of opportunity to get to Krayt’s citadel, so we need to push our way through the catacombs, and we need a massive amount of firepower in order to break through the Sith lines, so, every Force user and Mandalorian get to the front of the line so we can finish this mission and go home.” Boba said into every Shadow Alliance member’s personal comlink.

 

The Shadow Alliance’s forces quickly rallied into the formation of a spear, and began to cut and blast their way through the One Sith’s formations. They found themselves reinforced by a supercharged Edaan, as well as K’Kruhk, Sabine, Zeb, and Chopper, and the eleven hundred and seventy-five surviving Shadow Alliance members decimated the Sith and Sith beasts that stood in their way, and they pursued the surviving Sith to their citadel, where the One Sith laid in wait for their enemies to fall into their trap.

_Ten Minutes Later_

_0440 Hours_

_8.33 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Within Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

 

“Are the Sith Troopers ready, Wyyrlok?” Krayt said as he sensed the approaching presences of the surviving members of the Shadow Alliance task force, while Sorzus waited in the shadows to report to Krayt about the deaths of Darth Sedriss and Ezra Bridger.

 

“ _They are, my lord. They, along with your surviving followers, have taken positions within the citadel for their ambushes, and merely await your order to engage._ ” Wyyrlok respectfully said as he bowed to his master, which pleased the aging Dread Lord of the Sith, as he and his Sith order had suffered one setback after another due to the interference of Edaan Palpatine and his Shadow Alliance.

 

“Good. What of the explosives? Are they in place across the citadel?” Krayt asked.

 

“ _They are primed, and merely await your use of the Force in order for them to detonate._ ” Wyyrlok said with a hint of glee as he imagined the destruction of the best and brightest members of each government and organization that comprised the Shadow Alliance.

 

“Excellent, Wyyrlok. What of the fleet in orbit above Korriban? Are they following the plan?” Krayt said, as he wanted to make sure that this final gambit succeeded, as the fate of the One Sith hung in the balance with this final battle.

 

“ _To the letter, Lord Krayt. They have managed to divert the Kuat, Hapan, Imperial, and Confederation fleets, along with two wings of Jedi StealthXs to meet our surprise fleet, while the Hutt fleet remains on standby, ready to reinforce the four former fleets if needed, and the Rothana, Dac, Chiss, Mandalorian, and former ex-Neo Death Watch fleets have stayed behind in order to blockade Korriban._ ” Wyyrlok factually said as he looked over his shoulder to something that only he could see, and he then said, “ _The Shadow Alliance will be within the citadel within four minutes, and I need to make sure that the remainder of our Sith are ready to enact the ambush. Sorzus, stay alive._ ”

 

Sorzus felt touched by her father’s words of encouragement, and merely nodded in response while Wyyrlok disconnected the holonet transceiver, leaving the two Sith Lords alone to speak without interruption.

 

“You did well in eliminating the traitorous Snoke, Sorzus.” Krayt said in commendation of one of his two highest remaining servants of the Dark Side.

 

“Thank you, my lord.” Sorzus gratefully said as she bowed in acknowledgement of Krayt’s rare display of praise. She then took on a morose tone as she said, “I only regret that I was unable to save Darth Sedriss, as we could have used her skills in the defense of your citadel.”

 

“Do not trouble yourself with the loss of Sedriss, Sorzus.” Krayt said as he dismissed Sorzus’s regrets with a wave of his hand, and he then continued, saying, “Unlike the other of my loyal followers, Sedriss was always an expendable servant, as she was, to put it lightly, a deranged and psychopathic lunatic that had no vision or direction. The only regret that I have is that we lost Snoke due to Edaan’s meddling, as we needed his control over the Sith beasts in order to assure our victory.”

“I see.” Sorzus said as she nodded in understanding of what Krayt was trying to teach her, which was to never discard a tool that might still have some value, but be prepared to sacrifice anything or anyone in pursuit of their goals. She then continued to speak, saying, “Then, with your permission, my lord, I would like to join my father in ambushing the Shadow Alliance forces so that we can escape Korriban.”

 

“I will do you one better, Sorzus, and come with you, because we will need all of the strength that we can muster in order to hold off the Shadow Alliance for just over eight hours until the two rituals are completed by our Sith Sorcerers.” Krayt said in a tone that befitted one of a warm uncle talking to his niece, which filled Sorzus with relief as the two departed in order to prepare to ambush the Shadow Alliance’s strike team.

 

_Five Minutes Later_

_0445 Hours_

_8.25 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Within Darth Krayt’s Armory_

 

“Something’s not right, here. I can feel the life force of several hundred, maybe as many as a thousand, dark presences in the Force within these walls, but I can’t pinpoint their exact location.” Tau, using his attunement to the Dark Side of the Force to the Shadow Alliance’s advantage said, which immensely worried the leaders of the strike force, as they expected an ambush any moment now that they were within the empty armory, which, for some unknown reason, was devoid of any weapons or pilfered artifacts.

 

“The Dark Side of the Force must be clouding our senses. We’ll have to find them with the old-fashioned way, then: With our eyes.” Vestara grimly said as she

 

“Well, knowing our rotten luck, they’ll ambush us any second now.” Sintas wearily said, as she was tired of the constant killing within the catacombs of the Sith tomb world, and longed for a return to her adoptive home world of Mandalore.

 

“ _Enough chatter, guys. Let’s keep this line clear._ ” Said the calm but authoritative voice of Kyle Katarn over the communications channel that covered the two divisions of the strike force.

 

“Agreed, Grand Master Katarn.” Boba gratefully said as he looked at Sintas in order to get her to stop talking, for fear of further terrifying the rest of the strike force.

 

All of sudden, Edaan and Tau stopped dead in their tracks, and activated their lightsabers, which scared Adari and Atai, but the rest of their allies, trusting the Jedi Master who was the founder of the Shadow Alliance, as well as his brother, drew their respective weapons and prepared for the worst.

 

“What is it?” Boba said as he raised his blaster rifle in grim anticipation of fighting a Sith Lord again, recalling how he narrowly managed to defeat Darth Vader three years before the Battle of Yavin on Maryx Minor.

 

“Your death, Boba Fett.” Said a voice that caused Edaan, Tau, Adari, Mirta, Sabine, Zeb, Chopper, and Jaden to tense up, as they recognized the voice that belonged to the Dread Lord of the Sith, Darth Krayt. But, they knew him as A’Sharad Hett, a fallen Jedi Master who survived Order Sixty-Six, and then began a slow fall to the Dark Side that concluded by the Sith Acolyte Vegere’s teachings during his captivity by the Yuuzhan Vong just before their invasion of the known galaxy, and how he built the One Sith order in his twisted attempts to bring order to what he believed to be a chaos-ridden galaxy.

 

As soon as he uttered those words, Darth Krayt leapt down from a hidden compartment within the armory’s ceiling, along with Darth Wyyrlok, his daughter, Sorzus, and about four hundred Sith Lords and Ladies, which included one hundred and fifty Sith Troopers, which no one on the Shadow Alliance’s side expected, judging by the aghast expressions on their faces.

 

Edaan, for the sake of maintaining the morale of the soldiers that were under his command, forced himself to muster his courage, and scathingly said, “What, you didn’t have enough faith in your forces to fight your own battles, so you had to resort to even more heinous experiments on innocent children? You continue to disgust me, Krayt.” He wished with all of his heart that he could say Krayt’s true name, but, due to the mental blocks that Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers had on the minds of all of the members of Edaan’s first strike force, he could not mention Krayt’s original name to anyone through any means.

 

“On the contrary, Edaan. These are loyal followers of mine that agreed to be experimented on so that they could be the vanguard of my army of Sith Troopers, which, once we escape Korriban and destroy the Shadow Alliacne, I plan to make number in the millions.” Krayt proudly said, before he adopted a gloating smile, and then arrogantly said to Edaan, “And, the only reason that I’m telling you all of this is because I have no intention of letting any one of you escape this planet. So, you’d better have said good-bye to your loved ones before you came down to this deathtrap, because you’ll never see them again.” His face then turned serious, and he roared to his followers, “Eliminate them all!”

 

With that, utter chaos erupted between both sides, as both sides collided into an explosion of Light and Dark Side energy that could be felt by every Force Sensitive that was within the entire Horuset System. Ben and Vestara squared off against Darth Wyyrlok and Sorzus, while the brothers Edaan and Tau, as well as Akku Sei II and Adari, worked as one in battling ten of Darth Krayt’s most elite Sith Troopers that were guarding Krayt himself while he delivered death and destruction on the Shadow Alliance forces, killing them by the tens.

 

 _Why can’t these battles and wars ever be esay?_ Edaan despondently thought to himself as he was forced to use a powerful burst of Force Lightning in order to complete the difficult task of electrifying a male Gen’Dai Sith Lord’s internal organs, killing him after ten seconds of continuous use of Force Lightning.

 

_Ten Minutes Later_

_0455 Hours_

_8.08 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Within the Artifacts Room of Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

 

 _Finally, a challenge after so long!_ Jaina Solo Fel mentally said as she rejoiced over being able to fight against overwhelming odds again while killing several One Sith of various species and ranks. She, along with X2, Seelah, Ghes, Venku, K’Kruhk, Armand, Corran, Kyle, Tenel Ka, Allana, and the remainder of their comrades were holding their own against the ambush that assaulted them about ten minutes ago, killing the Sith and their minions by the dozens, while losing several tens of soldiers, Jedi, and Imperial Knights, reducing their numbers to four hundred and twelve Shadow Alliance members.

 

However, according to the intelligence reports that the Shadow Alliance’s logistic technicians had compiled, there were about one thousand Sith left, along with eight hundred of their secular forces since the Shadow Alliance’s arrival into the Horuset System, and they had only killed about sixty-five Sith so far in their push into Darth Krayt’s citadel. Jaina knew that, with just over eight hours left before Darth Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers unleashed their rituals to decimate the Shadow Alliance’s forces in both the ground and in space, they did not have much time to spend on battling seemingly endless waves of Sith forces.

 

She then said into her comlink, “X2, you and Seelah need to lead Grand Master Katarn, Master Horn, Ghes, Venku, and ten others in finding Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers while the rest of us deal with the Dread Lord’s armies, because the two of you know Krayt’s citadel from the inside and out. Go now, while there’s still an opening in their defenses.”

 

“Understood, Empress. May the Force be with you.” X2 crisply said as he, Seelah, Kyle, Corran, Ghes, Venku, Tenel Ka, Allana, and eight other fighters broke off from the carnage of the main battle in order to hunt down the Sith Sorcerers that Krayt had kept hidden from the Shadow Alliance’s Force users.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

_0515 Hours_

_7.75 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Back Within Darth Krayt’s Armory_

 

“Adari, three o’clock, now!” Edaan said to his wife in warning of the advancing Chevin Sith Lady, who used her stolen lightsaber and skills of Teras Käsi, managed to nimbly avoid all of the large Sith’s clumsy swings, and plunged her weapon through the Chevin’s skull, piercing her brain and killing her instantly. Edaan then used his enhanced connection to the Force to grab the corpse before it fell, and threw it where five Sith were surrounded by Shadow Alliance members, where they were quickly crushed by the Chevin’s massive weight. Edaan then reactivated both his lightsaber and the stolen Sith lightsaber, and, with Adari and Tau, charged headfirst into the sea of Krayt’s followers, each of them becoming a torrent of Force energy that allowed the three of them to kill any Sith or Sith lackey that had the misfortune to get in their way. They cut or hacked their way through their opposition as they approached Darth Krayt when they were interrupted by Darth Wyyrlok, who briefly managed to escape his battle with Ben and Vestara, and his daughter, Sorzus.

 

“Get out of our way, you murderers.” Edaan growled out, remembering how Wyyrlok was Krayt’s right-hand man, and how Sorzus murdered Ezra in a sneak attack, breaking the hearts of Sabine and Zeb as a result.

 

“You’re one to talk, Edaan Palpatine.” Sorzus said in a rebuke to the young scion to the Palpatine name when she noticed movement through her peripheral vision, and barely managed to avoid the ambushes of Vestara Khai and Ben Skywalker, who attacked Sorzus and Wyyrlok, respectively, before they were able to force them to divert their attention away from protecting their master, and instead focus their power on staying alive against the two Lightsiders that were attacking them with a killing intent.

 

Krayt, seeing that his forces, even with one hundred and twenty of his enhanced Sith Troopers still alive, were struggling against the Shadow Alliance, desired a quick end to the battle, and pulled out a holonet communicator, and said into it, “All forces, enact Plan Alpha Blue at once!”

 

With those words uttered, hidden compartments within the walls of the armory opened up to reveal six-foot battle droids that heavily resembled Phase Three Dark Troopers in their appearance and weaponry. The sixty battle droids quickly activated and made their way into the battlefield, wreaking havoc on the Shadow Alliance’s ranks as they blasted and threw around several Shadow Alliance members.

 

Edaan, seeing that Krayt had unleashed another trump card, shared a look with Tau that said what needed to be said, and then leapt behind all but five of the Dark Troopers, and unleashed a Force Storm with the power to rival Valkorion’s Force Storms. He directed the energy at the Dark Troopers, as well as half of the Sith Troopers, and caused the mechanical components of the Dark Troopers and Sith Troopers to explode, decimating Krayt’s forces, and giving the Shadow Alliance division the advantage in this portion of the battle.

 

Krayt, seeing that this section of the battle had turned against his One Sith forces, bellowed out with all of his lungs’ strength, “PULL BACK!! ALL FORCES, PULL BACK!!!” With that said, the bulk of the remaining Sith, including Sorzus and Darth Wyyrlok, managed to retreat from the citadel’s armory and head deeper within the underground structure, while Krayt stared at Edaan and mentally said to the Jedi Master _, I know one thing for certain, this war will end when one of us dies, Edaan Palpatine, and my One Sith order intends to be the last power standing when this war is over. You and your loved ones had better pray to the Force for mercy, for I will have none to offer for you and your followers._ He then fled with the last of his Sith, and disappeared into the darkness, leaving the beleaguered Shadow Alliance forces a brief respite from the seemingly unending grind of battle.

 

After two minutes of everyone catching their breath, Boba activated his Mandalorian helmet’s built-in comlink and said, “Jaina, we’ve beaten back Krayt and his Sith from the armory, and are preparing to head deeper into the citadel. What’s the situation on your end?”

 

“ _Could be better, Fett. We’ve repulsed our own ambush within the museum, and have dispatched a team to hunt down and kill Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers before they complete the rituals, but we’ve lost just under a quarter of our manpower. How many men do you guys have left?_ ” Jaina grimly said.

 

“We’ve lost about twenty percent of our people, but, thanks to Edaan’s timely, and very powerful, use of the Force, we didn’t lose any more people. I’ll have a team from our division sent to help hunt for those Sith Sorcerers in a couple of minutes. Stay alive until we get there.” Boba said in his professional tone. He then turned to speak with Vestara, and said, “Vestara, you were a member of the One Sith for a time. Do you have any ideas as to where Krayt might have hidden his Sith Sorcerers, because we don’t have the time or manpower to search the entire citadel?”

 

After a moment of thinking, she said, “Well, there are a couple of bunkers, as well as a spaceport that’s connected to the citadel, that could protect the Sorcerers from conventional attacks, so I’d bet that they’re in one of those three places.”

 

“Hold on, Ves? A _spaceport_?!? When did Krayt have time to build that?” Ben incredulously said to his lover.

 

“Apparently, he built it before the Lost Tribe was defeated, and he built it to house a secret… fleet of ships in case his order’s existence was discovered!” Vestara said as realization hit her like a durasteel hammer. “That’s why we haven’t seen any of the children that Krayt either took or bred here, because he’s planning to evacuate them from Korriban once the Force Storm decimates the Shadow Alliance blockade. We have to kill the Sorcerers before they complete their rituals, or we may never get another chance at saving those kids.” She then continued with a newfound sense of determination coursing through her.

 

“In that case, you and Tau need lead our team in order to find those Sorcerers before they complete Krayt’s plans. You head out in ten minutes.”

 

“No.” Adari suddenly said, which surprised everyone, who turned to face the Keshiri.

 

“What do you mean, ‘no’, Adari? Tau and Vestara are the best equipped to deal with Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers since they are attuned to the nuances of the Dark Side.” Boba said in a manner that would brook no argument.

 

“What I mean, Fett, is that Tau needs to back up Edaan while he hunts down Darth Krayt, because, with Luke dy- I mean, incapacitated, he’s the best shot that we’ve got at killing Krayt and ending his Sith order once and for all, and Tau knows how Edaan thinks better than anyone, so, while we keep Krayt’s forces occupied and hunt for his Sorcerers, the two of them eliminate Krayt.” Adari said, catching herself before she revealed that Luke was dying from both his wounds and a broken heart.

 

“Adari, why would you trust just the two of us to take down Krayt? We’ll have a better shot of defeating him if we all fight him together.” Edaan said in argument of Adari’s gamble.

 

“By that time, he, Wyyrlok, and Sorzus will have escaped, and this war will eventually start up again. If we can stop this war here and now, then we have to risk everything, no matter the cost. You know this better than anybody, my love.” Adari said as she then kissed her husband with all of the love and passion that she could muster in that one moment.

 

After a moment that seemed to last for a full hour, Edaan and Adari separated, and Edaan said, “All right. I’ll do it, but only if Tau and the others agree.”

 

“If this brings us closer to stopping the One Sith, then I say that we give it a shot.” Tau said as he shrugged his shoulders.

 

“I think this plan is suicidal, crazy, and harebrained. But, it might be our last shot of killing Krayt, so, you have my support.” Vestara said in support of Adari’s final gamble.

 

“You haven’t led us astray yet, and you’ve proven yourself time and time again, so I have to keep having faith in you, my former apprentice.” Ben said as he nodded his head in agreement with everyone who spoke so far.

 

One after another, each major figure in the division agreed to Adari’s plan until only Boba Fett was left.

 

“And what about you, Mand’alor? Will you support this plan?” Adari asked as she prayed to the Force to protect her husband from Krayt’s wrath.

 

“I’m not a betting man, Adari. But, if I were, I’d put my credits with Edaan, as he’s achieved the impossible time and time again. Yes, I support your mad gambit.” Boba said with a small smile beneath his helmet.

 

“Good. Then Tau and I will head out in ten minutes, while the rest of you keep Krayt’s forces occupied. May the Force be with us all in this final battle.” Edaan solemnly said as he took some time to stretch and loosen his weary joints.

 

_Five Mintues Later_

_0525 Hours_

_7.58 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_In a Secret Bunker Within Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

 

“Edaan’s powers have grown exponentially. I fear for the survival of the Sith, master.” Wyyrlok said with concern lacing his voice as he spoke.

 

“Good, Wyyrlok. Use that fear as a source of power, and think of all of our brethren that he and the Shadow Alliance have killed. That anger will empower you even further, and give you the strength to endure what comes next.” Krayt said in a teaching tone to his loyal right hand.

 

“Yes, master.” Wyyrlok obediently said as he, and the rest of the one hundred Sith that Krayt had placed under his command, took up positions within the large bunker that protected the Sith Sorcerers were in as they neared completion of the rituals that would turn the tide of galactic history.

 

While Krayt looked on with pride at the Sith Order that he had created, Sorzus came up from behind him and said in a neutral tone, “You have no intention of letting my father live, do you, Lord Krayt?”

 

“On the contrary, Sorzus, I still have a great need for him, which is why I placed such a large force under his command and placed him in charge of such a vital mission. And, you also have a crucial role to play in my plans, which is why I am placing you in charge of guarding the spaceport with one hundred Sith, as well as our remaining secular allies, as the fleet contains the future of the Sith.” Said the Dread Lord of the Sith in a firm but sympathetic tone.

 

“Ah. I see. Then I apologize for my presumptuousness, Master, and will take on this responsibility with all of my skillset. May the Force serve us well in these final hours.” Sorzus solemnly said as she left with her small army to defend the future of the One Sith.

 

 _May it serve us all in these final hours, my loyal servant._ Krayt grimly thought as he prepared to head out in order to meet Edaan and Tau Palpatine in battle, as he knew of their mission through the hidden security cameras that were linked to a backup network within this bunker.

 

**Well, that ends another grim chapter of my final story, which will set the stage for the endgame within the endgame, if you know what I mean. So, are you guys aware that on August 29, 2017, _Star Wars: Rebels: The Complete Season Three_ is released on Blu-Ray and DVD, and I plan to get it on Blu-Ray in order to get those extra features, even though it’s not too compatible with the Expanded Universe, because I just love that show. Anyway, what are you guys going to be doing for the rest of the warm day of June 29, 2017, as I’m going to continue to read J.R.R. Tolkien’s _Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-Earth_ , and later, I will mow my parent’s lawn. Hey, I just noticed that I have writen over eighty-eight thousand words in this story, and I amm very proud of myself. And the story’s nowhere near complete yet. Well, I guess that that’s it for this chapter. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live The Expanded Universe! **


	23. Chapter 22

**Good evening, all of my fellow Star Wars Expanded Universe preservers! How are you on the fine evening of June 29, 2017? I am well, as I’ve read about two-thirds of J.R.R. Tolkien’s _Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-Earth_ , mowed my parents’ lawn, and decided to take another crack at writing for today, because tomorrow, I’ve got some homework to complete, and a bit of volunteering at the local help center for about five hours instead of just four. So, what are you doing for the Fourth of July, as I’m hopefully going to have a good time with my family? Anyway, I expect this story to exceed one hundred thousand words after the next three chapters, which will hopefully be three months after I started my final Jedi Odyssey story. Well, I guess that I’d better get to work on writing, as this chapter will detail Edaan and Tau departing to hunt down Darth Krayt, with the rest of the Shadow Alliance beginning the search for Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers. Let’s hope that things go well for the Shadow Alliance, but I’m sure that most of you can figure out how most of the story ends. Oh, one more thing. How many of you guys _want Dragon Age II_ to be backwards compatible for the Xbox One, because I know that I do? Hopefully, Microsoft will heed our request and make it available to us soon, because I just finished _Dragon Age: Origins: Ultimate Edition_ , and I crave more Dragon Age content. Well, Wish me luck in writing, and let the chapter begin. **

**(June 30, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everyone. How are you doing on this warm day? I am well, as I spent five hours volunteering at my local help center, and I got a very constructive email from my good friend, Powerslammer that requires a great deal of consideration. Do you guys think that I have included too many characters in my final story, and that I’ve included too much Expanded Universe and Canon lore in my stories so that the new fans of the Star Wars saga can’t keep up? Please be both honest and constructive in your emails or reviews, as I need more counsel in order to make my story as good as it can be. Well, back to writing, as this chapter will signal the beginning of the end for the Shadow War that is raging all over the Horuset System.**

**(July 2, 2017 Addendum.) Good morning, everyone. How are you doing on this warm Sunday, which is two days from the United States’ Independence Day? I am well, as I went to church with my mother early, finished reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s _Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-Earth_ , which was a blast, by the way, and, in a couple of hours, my father and I will see the movie _Baby Driver_ at a local theater, which I’m sure will be a blast, pun intended. Hopefully, I’ll be able to finish this chapter by tomorrow, at the latest, because I want it done before Independence Day, where things will get really busy for me. Well, I guess that I’d better get back to writing. **

**(4:26 PM Addendum.) Good afternoon, guys. So, I’ve just goten back from seeing _Baby Driver_ , and, like I thought, it was a great movie. My dad didn’t think so, which baffles me, as that movie deserved 4.0/5.0 stars for a variety of reasons that I will not get into. Oh, and, I’ve started reading Greg Rucka’s young readers book, _Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills_ , and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read so far, and I’ve only gotten through a third of the book. Well, it’s almost dinner time, so I’d better get to writing if I hope to get this chapter finished by tomorrow night. May the Force be with me.**

_Five Minutes Later_

_0530 Hours_

_7.50 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Within The Armory Inside of Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

“So, the final push before we end this shadow war, Edaan. Got anything to say before you and Tau head into the dragon’s maw?” Adari said to her husband while she, Akku, and Atai prepared to head out with the rest of the Shadow Alliance’s division in hunting down Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers.

 

“Yes, Adari, I do.” Edaan said to his wife, before he turned to face three of his five remaining original comrades, and solemnly said, “I don’t know what will happen next, or if we’ll even survive this battle, but I will say that it has been a privilege and honor to fight alongside each and every one of you, especially you, Adari Thayn Palpatine. I would have never have come so far, or become the man I am today, without your help, my love.”

 

Adari, feeling weak in the knees with Edaan’s romantic speech directed to her, said to her husband, “Edaan, I don’t know what to say. I think the opposite is true, because without you, I would have resisted the Jedi’s influence on Kesh until I died. And, I would have never found my soulmate if I didn’t meet you.”

 

“Well, I guess that we’re both lucky that we found each other, then.” Edaan said as he leaned in for a kiss with his wife, who eagerly reciprocated his affections while their two closest friends watched the adorable display.

 

After about ten seconds of passionate lip contact, the two soulmates separated, and Edaan went to Akku, and said, “You hoping to make your uncle and father proud in this final battle, old timer?”

 

“I’m more concerned with my company, which is being led by my right-hand man, Gorin, aboveground in Dreshdae.” Akku said, referring to his Twi’lek comrade that Edaan last met in the Dealer’s Den cantina on Coruscant over fourteen months ago during his recruitment of his comrades for the _Second Chance_.

 

“Then they’re in good hands, my old friend.” Edaan reassuringly said to the Anzati Mandalorian captain. He then turned to face Atai, and said, “Looking forward to ending this war and going back to leading your people into the modern age, because I know that I’m so eager to start teaching the people of Kesh the ways of the Jedi with Adari, Seelah, and Vestara?”

 

“Oh, wholeheartedly, Edaan. I’m lucky that this mad adventure didn’t give me an aneurysm, what, with the mad priests, dictators, and Sith and their minions trying to kill us every step of the way.” Atai said, full of relief at the prospect of finally going back to lead his people in the Galactic Alliance.

 

“Well, just one final push, and we’ll all be home free. It’s just a shame that we lost so many good people along the way.” Edaan solemnly said, recalling everyone who died ever since he began his quest to redeem Vestara: the two Black Sun Vigos who allied with him, the Shi’ido Colovo and the Gen’Dai Durge; his first Yuuzhan Vong friend, the Extolled who went by the name of Vua Rapuung; Jesse Willsam the Zabrak prisoner who allied with him and his friends during their first escape attempt from Krayt’s Citadel; Robonino, Han and Leia Organa Solo, and C-3PO before his resurrection as AG-37 during the destruction of Ship and White Eyes; and Ezra Bridger after he was redeemed by Edaan and killed by Sorzus.

 

“True enough, Edaan.” AG said as he appeared from behind Edaan, shocking the Jedi Master as he yelped in surprise, and turned around in exasperation.

 

“Man, AG, do you have to sneak up on me like that?” Edaan said in annoyance as he calmed his breathing.

 

“No. It’s just more fun that way.” AG humorously said as he placed a hand on Edaan’s shoulder, and solemnly said to the leader of the Shadow Alliance, “Tau’s ready and waiting for you, so you two better get started on your mission while we hunt down the rest of Kryat’s followers. It’s been an honor to know you as a comrade and friend, Edaan Palpatine. Now finish this war, and may the Force be with you, my friend.”

 

“And may it be with you all as well, my loved ones.” Edaan said as he gave a flirtatious wink at Adari, making her blush as she looked down in embarrassment.

 

He then walked to where Tau was talking with Boba, Mirta, Ben, Vestara, Jaden, Sabine, Zeb, Chopper, and Kyle about their plans when they noticed Edaan walking up to them, which made everyone look at him with a deathly serious look in their eyes.

 

“Well, it looks like I’ve entered a graveyard, because it’s quieter here than it is there.” Edaan glibly said in an attempt to inject some humor into this awkward situation.

 

After a few uncomfortable chuckles from some of the fighters, while Chopper simply glared at the cyborg Jedi Master with a deathly serious look before he did something that no one ever expected: He rolled up to Edaan and used one of his retractable manipulator arms to pat him on the leg, and gently spoke in droidspeak, the words that he spoke left everyone present speechless, as Chopper just said to Edaan “ _May the Force Be With You, Edaan Palpatine._ ”

 

After a moment that seemed to drag on until the end of time, Zeb said in a deadpanned tone, “Did…did Chopper just wish Edaan good luck with his suicide mission without a single curse or profanity?”

 

“The galaxy must truly be at the end times, then.” Sabine numbly said as she struggled to take in what had just happened, as she had never heard Chopper speak to anyone with such respect, not even his previous owner, Hera Syndulla, or his fellow droid and Clone War veteran, AP-5.

 

Chopper then turned to his two comrades, and then uttered several expletives at the two former Spectres, which made everyone chuckle, and Zeb said with relief lacing his voice, “Ah. There it is.”

 

“Well, unless anyone else has anything galaxy-shattering to say, Tau and I had better get started on our suicide mission.” Edaan nonchalantly said before Boba Fett stopped him.

 

“Wait. I have something to say. I’m not good with all of this mushy stuff, so I’ll keep it brief. It’s been an honor to fight alongside you, Edaan Palpatine, as you have proven yourself to be a true friend and comrade of the _Mando_ _’_ _Ade_ for ending the Second Mandalorian Civil War, and for that, I say words that I have never spoken before: May the Force be with you, my friend.”

 

Edaan was rendered speechless by what the _Mand’_ _alor_ had just said, so he simply gripped Boba’s arm in a warrior-like fashion and gallantly said, “The honor is mine, my comrade.” He then turned to face all of his remaining friends and allies, and solemnly said, “Well, I guess that I’ll see you on the other side.” He and Tau, along with Butch, who took this moment to appear from his feast of Sith flesh, then departed in their quest to destroy Darth Krayt, while the rest of the Shadow Alliance went to work on destroying the remainder of Darth Krayt’s One Sith followers as they set out, prepared for whatever came next.

 

_Twenty Mintues Later_

_0555 Hours_

_7.08 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Within Darth Krayt’s Bunker_

“My lord, Edaan and Tau Palpatine are on the move, and the Shadow Alliance has begun to search for our location. What are your orders?” Said a Togruta Sith Lord that approached Krayt just as he was about to head out in order to meet Edaan and Tau in battle for the first, and only time.

 

“Remain here and hidden until with the rest of your division until the Shadow Alliance discovers your location, and, once they do so, and they will, unleash the gates of Chaos on them. In the meantime, our automated defenses will whittle down and divide the remaining Shadow Alliance forces while they deal with our spaceport’s defenders.” Krayt sternly said, which greatly confused the young Sith Lord, but he thought better of speaking out of turn, and held his tongue.

 

“Now, then, I must head out. If you have any further questions, then take them directly to Darth Wyyrlok, as he is full aware of our plans for victory against the Shadow Alliance.” Krayt neutrally said as he departed to meet his rival for galactic domination.

 

_Ten Minutes Later_

_0605 Hours_

_6.92 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Above Korriban_

_Within the_ Galactic _-class Battle Cruiser_ Dodonna

Gavin Darklighter, Galactic Alliance admiral and commander of the Galactic Alliance Marines, observed the battle with a grim mindset, as the Shadow Alliance’s navy was stretched thin due to the influx of enemy reinforcements that had arrived to support Darth Krayt and his One Sith order.

 

In the span of just over three hours, the One Sith had lost significant casualties, with were comprised of two _Imperial_ II-class Star Destroyers, one _Lucrehulk_ -class battleships, three _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers, four _Venerator_ -class Star Destroyers, one _Turbulent_ -class Star Destroyer, one MC80a Star Cruiser, and three _Chelandion_ -class warships.

 

Unfortunately, the Shadow Alliance had suffered a greater amount of casualties as well, in the form of two _Galactic_ -class Battle Carriers, ten _Imperial_ II-class Star Destroyers, five _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers, one _Nebula_ -class Star Destroyer, two MC90 Capitol Ship cruisers, twelve _Lancer_ -class frigates, three Hapan Battle Dragons, two _Nova_ -Class battle cruisers, three _Turbulent_ -class Star Destroyers, five _chelandion_ -class warships, six Hutt Batils and Tarradas each, eight _Dreadnaught_ -class heavy cruisers that were modified to operate with a crew of only five thousand crewman, one _Venerator_ -class Star Destroyer, one Invincible-class Dreadnaught Heavy Cruiser, two _Republic_ -class cruisers, four _Assassin_ -class Corvettes, two Bothan Assault Carriers, a third of the entire fleet of Commenorian support ships, half a wing of hyperspace-capable fighters that were designated “ _Predator_ -class fighters”, three wings of _bes'uliiks_ , four _Firespray_ -class interceptors, twelve MandalMotors Pursuer-class enforcement ships, five _Keldabe_ -Class Battleships, ten _Crusader_ -class corvettes, two wings of Mando-Verpine Assault Fighters, a wing of _StarViper_ -class attack platforms, and five wings of _Vyrhawk_ fighter bombers, one _Strike_ -class Medium Cruisers that belonged to Loronar Corporation, with two _Imperial_ I-Class Star Destroyers, two wings of TIE/LN Starfighters that had heavy armaments that included proton torpedo launchers and heavy laser cannons attached to them, two _Victory_ -class Star Destroyers, two wings of _Kom’rk_ -class fighters/transports, three Assault Frigates class Mark II, a Republic Star Destroyer, and two Chiss Star Destroyers.

 

Despite the battle that was waging around him, Gavin could not help but question how Darth Krayt could have won the allegiance of so many people and ships of the galaxy without anyone noticing.

 

His trail of thought was abruptly halted when his ship’s deep-space alarms went off for the second time since this chaotic battle began in earnest, and he turned to one of his bridge officers and said, “Shipman Jorus, what is it?”

 

He feared that the Sith had summoned even more capital ships to their cause, but his fears were quickly dashed when the Sullustan said in a confused tone, “We’ve got about one hundred shuttles inbound, but no capital ships behind them, Admiral.”

 

 _A hundred shuttles? Why would a hundred shuttles be-_ Gavin;s trail of thought was quickly interrupted by the communications officer’s voice, which said, “Sir! General Etahn A’baht is on the line, and he has urgent news for all fleet commanders. With your permission, I’ll put him through now.”

 

“Go right ahead, Lieutenant.” Gavin grimly said as he prepared himself for whatever terrible news that was sure to follow.

 

The holographic image of the Dornean general quickly came into focus, and Etahn gratefully said, “ _Thank you for receiving me so quickly, Admiral Darklighter. We don’t have much time, so I’ll have to make this brief. The list of the Sith personnel that the astromech droid C1-10P brought to us has been decrypted, and it reveals that Krayt had several Dark Side organizations under his payroll, which he’s summoned to the system:_ _Dathomir Nightsisters and Nightbrothers, the Tapani Sector’s entire Mecrosa Order, the Ualtaullu Rift’s entire order of the Kanzer Exiles, the Nihil Retreat’s Sorcerers of Rhand, which the Imperial warlord known as Lord Shadowspan belonged to before his demise, Mustafar’s order of the Blackguard, and the Sith-originated Black Knights that have been wreaking havoc across the Perlemian Trade Route in recent years, all have answered Krayt’s call. And they’ll be here any minute, because Master Saa has sensed approximately five thousand Dark Siders coming into the system._ ”

 

“As if we didn’t have enough problems on our hands as it was.” Gavin muttered under his breath, which Etahn caught, but did not rebuke the admiral, as he shared the human’s sentiments.

 

“ _We’re dispatching the Jedi StealthX wings, as well as Rogue Squadron, the One-Eighty-First wing, and twenty of our remaining_ Lancer _-class frigates to meet this influx of Dark Siders. Let’s hope that that will be enough to defeat them before they link up with Krayt’s main fleet, or, worse, manage to enter the catacombs beneath Korriban._ ” Etahn gravely said before he said, “ _Good hunting, Admiral Darklighter._ ” With those final words said, he ended the transmission, and left Gavin alone to briefly contemplate the worsening battle for Korriban, when fifty shuttles of various sizes, eras, and designs, many of which Gavin did not recognized due to their esoteric origins.

 

 _Let’s hope that Edaan and the others are making good time in their part of the mission, because I don’t know how much longer we can keep the One Sith occupied._ Gavin morosely thought as he dispatched orders to the crew of the _Dodonna_ , as well as the other Galactic Alliance ships that were under his command.

 

*

 

_Ten Minutes Later_

_0615 Hours_

_6.75 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

 

Jedi Master Kyp Durron was having the time of his life right now, as he was in his element, destroying one enemy fighter after another with the help of his squadron of Jedi StealthX starfighters. They felt Master Saa guide them against the fleet of traitors of their respective governments, as well as the Dark Sider Acolytes that came to Darth Krayt’s aid over ten minutes ago.

 

“All right, everyone. We’ve got an opening to take out a few Star Destroyers and an old Trade Federation flagship that are assaulting the Hapan’s flank, so let’s make this chance count.” Kyp said into his ship’s comms, with eleven signals of acknowledgment coming through.

 

“ _Hope you’ve got room for one more squadron, because me and the rest of Rogue Squadron are itching for some more action._ ” Said the strong and enthusiastic voice of Syal Antilles through her X-Wing’s comms.

 

“We’ll take any aid that we can offer, Rogue Leader.” Kyp gratefully said as he saw the familiar emblem of the legendary Rogue Squadron come into view, and his voice was full of determination as he said, “All right. Let’s save the Hapans.”

 

The twenty-four veterans of many campaigns used their starfighters to nimbly and deftly avoid the enemy fire that was directed their way. They then split up into three groups of eight fighters in order to cause the maximum amount of damage to the three _Imperial_ II-class Star Destroyers and one _Lucrehulk_ -class battleship that were able to flank the Hapan fleet, and had already destroyed a Hapan Battle Dragon and two Beta cruisers.

 

“All right, guys. Let’s give these wannabe tyrants a what for! Unleash our ion torpedoes.” Kyp eagerly said to his three remaining Jedi squad mates as he switched his payload from proton torpedoes to the experimental ion bombs that the Jedi Order had been working on in case they had to deal with any renegade capital ships and disable them for capture.

 

Immediately after Kyp spoke, the four StealthX fighters unleashed their prototype ion bombs, which landed on the command center for the middle Star Destroyer, and, upon detonation, quickly emitted an electromagnetic pulse that disabled the entire power system of the _Imperial_ II-class Star Destroyer. This EMP pulse left the destroyer vulnerable to Syal and her three wing mates’ sixteen proton torpedoes, which inflicted heavy damage on the Star Destroyer, and caused a chain reaction within the entire ship that, in a matter of moments, caused the entire Star Destroyer to explode.

 

“WHOOO!!!” Kyp hollered into his intercom, which made Syal roll her eyes at the Jedi Council member’s enthusiasm for dogfighting. His joy increased to see the two remaining Star Destroyers explode, while the remaining Jedi and Rogues escaped the blast radius with no casualties.

 

His excitement was quickly doused when he sensed an immensely powerful concentration of Dark Side energy build up from within the newly arrived One Sith’s reinforcements, and he became deathly serious, and said, “All right, listen up. We’ve got to take out as many of these shuttles as we can before they find a way onto Korriban, or our exhausted ground forces won’t stand a chance against these fresh fighters. May the Force be with us.” He then received a string of acknowledgments, and the twenty-four fighters quickly linked back up with the remaining Jedi and Imperial forces and began to assault the shuttles, which then took evasive action after about five of them were destroyed.

 

 _Well, no one said that this would be easy._ Kyp grimly thought as he took aim at a _Lambada_ -class shuttle, and fired two shadow bombs at it in an attempt to destroy it. However, the unexpected soon happened: the shadow bombs prematurely exploded, and he sensed another buildup of Dark Side energy from within his fighter. Fearing the worst, he quickly said into his intercom, “This is Foxtrot One, at Sector A-29. My fighter’s compromised, so I’m bailing out.” He then used the Force to eject from his cockpit, and, a matter of seconds after he ejected from his StealthX fighter, it exploded at a range that did not affect Kyp, other than leaving him frustrated.

 

 _Well, it looks like I got beaten by some of the Sorcerers of Rhand._ Kyp sadly thought, remembering from the _Book of Sith_ that the Sorcerers were able to use psychic blasts to eradicate an object or being if they so desired. He saw them, as well as sixty other shuttles, maneuver their way through the blockade and prepare to land somewhere on Korriban.

 

In less than five minutes, an evac shuttle appeared and picked up the floating Jedi Master, and he urged the pilot to make for the _Megador_ so that he could advise the Grey Cadre on dealing with the One Sith’s naval forces.

 

_Ten Minutes Later_

_0635 Hours_

_6.42 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Within Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

 

Edaan, Tau, and Butch were a three-man army right now, as they were cutting their way through the automated security systems of the citadel, along with several security droids, and a dozen Sith, when they saw the man that they were looking for, Darth Krayt, who was standing about fifty meters away from the three fighters, with a knowing grin on his face before he fled the area.

 

Edaan, who was ready for this war to finally end, bolted after Krayt, with Tau and Butch right behind him, as they did not want to lose their dear friend to his reckless, and borderline obsessive, desire to eliminate the Dread Lord of the Sith.

 

**And, that is a wrap on the latest chapter of my final story. So, what did you think of all of the content of this chapter, ranging from the space battle, the prelude to the battle between Edaan, Tau, Butch, and Krayt, and the introduction of Krayt’s extra Dark Sider reinforcements? I hope that you all enjoyed, as it sets the stage for even more excitement, battles, and destruction, which is always a boon in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. So, what are you guys going to do on this fine evening of July 2, 2017, as I’m going to relax, and hope that some of my favorite fanfictions are updated before I go to bed. Well, I guess that that’s it for this chapter. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	24. Chapter 23

**Hey, guys. I am sorry to start this chapter with such melancholy, but I bring all of you dire news: As of this evening, on July 2, 2017, my good friend, fellow Star Wars Expanded Universe lover, and a far superior fanfiction writer than me, Powerslammer, is in a dangerous situation, as he and his family are near a California wildfire, and their home (or homes, I’m not sure if Powerslammer and his family live together or not) is in danger of being consumed by the roaring inferno. So, I humbly beg each and every one of you to pray for him, as he is a very honorable man, and does not deserve such a fate. May the Lord be with him and all others that are affected by this wildfire in such a dire time. Well, I guess that I’d better get started on this chapter, because, as the old saying goes, “The show must go on.” May the Force be with us all in these troubled times.**

**(July 3, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. Is everyone holding on in the final day before the Fourth of July, because I am, despite Powerslammer being in dire straits at this time? I am over halfway done with Greg Rucka’s young readers’ book, _Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills_ , and so far, I’ve enjoyed it. So, I’ve decided that I will include the soundtrack song, _Transformers: Dark of the Moon: It’s Our Fight_ , as this chapter will involve a bunch of killing and mayhem, what, with Edaan, Tau, and Butch hunting down Darth Krayt before his rituals are complete, as the clock is ticking, and time is of the essence. Well, back to writing. (4:56 PM. Addendum.) So, as of now, I’ve finished reading _Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills_ , and it was an excellent read. I can’t wait for when I go to Missouri in a couple of weeks, where I’ll spend time with my relatives. I’ll watch the extended editions of _The Hobbit_ and _The Lord of the Rings_ movie trilogies, read a bunch of good books, work more on my story, and do a lot of cool things with my great aunt and great uncle. Okay, with that out of the way, I’d better get back to writing, as I’ve got a long way to go in writing this story.) Oh, one more thing: I DESPERATELY NEED MORE EXPANDED UNIVERSE CONTENT!!! Is it really so hard to resurrect the old ways of Star Wars, and bring back the stories of _Knight Errant_ , _Invasion_ , _Lost Tribe of the Sith_ , _The Old Republic_ in comic and novel form, _Dawn of the Jedi_ , _Jedi: The Dark Side_ , _Blood Ties_ , _Sword of the Jedi_ , _Legacy: Volume Two_ , _Imperial Commando_ , and so on, because, in my humble opinion, those are the BEST stories of all of existence. I mean, really, there must be millions of disparate fans that crave the old ways to return. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not completely unreasonable, I can like some things of the new canon, but I will always love the original Expanded Universe over the new canon. Please forgive me for ranting, I just had a sudden craving for new Expanded Universe comics and books. Oh well, on with the story. **

**(July 4, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, everyone. For all of my American fans, happy Independence Day! What are you going to do on this special holiday? I have plenty of things to keep me busy, so I won’t get bored. Oh, and, as of yesterday, I’ve been reading _Star Wars: Rebel Rising_ , and it’s been a very interesting book, and not just because I can integrate it into my head canon. I’m done with a little over half of this book. So, how badly do you want the Expanded Universe to come back, because I crave it almost as much as Darth Nihilus’s hunger for Force energy, Star Wars pun intended? I tell you, that was an escape from the turbulence of the real world, and it was glorious, and its destruction all but broke my heart. Anyway, back to writing. **

 

As Edaan, Tau, and Butch chased the Dread Lord of the Sith, Tau shouted, “Hold on!”

 

With those two words spoken, Edaan and Butch stopped dead in their tracks, and the original Palpatine said, “What’s going on, Tau? In case you’ve forgotten, we’ve got an extremely dangerous Sith Lord to catch before he escapes the planet.”

 

“I can sense over three thousand Dark Siders within the system, and they’re approaching the citadel at a rapid pace. They’ll be here within half an hour, at the max.” Tau grimly and curtly said, which made Edaan even more frazzled, and Butch yelped in shock.

 

“Three thouand… Where in the name of all that is good and decent did Krayt get over three thousand more Sith?!?” Edaan incredulously said.

 

“Uh… I don’t think that these are Sith, Edaan. I can sense about twenty Nightsisters and fifteen Nightbrothers, a few hundred Blackguard, and approximately six hundred Black Knights, along with over two thousand Force signatures that I don’t recognize.” Tau nervously said.

 

“Oh, come on! Can’t we catch a break in this Force-forsaken planet?!?” Edaan ranted and raved to himself as he felt a nearly uncontrollable urge to kill or destroy something near him.

 

“Apparently not, brother.” Tau neutrally said as he pulled out his comlink and activated it, grimly saying, “ _Mand’_ _alor_ , Empress Fel, come in. This is Tau Palpatine. I can sense over three thousand Dark Siders of various Force sects within the system. They’ll be within the catacombs in thirty minutes, so we’d all better step up our efforts to hunt down the Sith, or we’ll soon become the hunted.”

 

“ _Acknowledged, Tau. We’ll keep our eyes peeled on our end, just finish your part of the mission, or this will all have been for naught._ Mand’alor _, out._ ” Boba said in a professional tone that could barely be heard over the sound of blasterfire and lightsaber duels.

 

“ _Same here, Tau. We’ll continue our hunt for the Sith Sorcerers, and eliminate them before they complete their rituals. Just end this five-thousand-year war, once and for all. Jaina, out._ ” Jaina curtly said as she too ended her transmission.

 

“Well, that’s encouraging.” Edaan sarcastically said as he prepared to once resume the pursuit of Darth Krayt, with Butch and Tau rearing to go as well and honor the sacrifices that all of their friends had made in this shadow war.

 

After a handful of seconds, the three warriors bolted, resuming the hunt for the Dread Lord of the Sith before his reinforcements linked up with his wounded Sith order.

 

_Five Minutes Later_

_0640 Hours_

_6.33 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Within The Citadel’s Medbay_

 

Seelah Verge was angry, as she had lost so many of her comrades and loved ones due to the destructive and corrupting influence of the Dark Side, going back from her time as a Sith Saber for the Lost Tribe of the Sith during the Jedi’s invasion of Kesh, to the torture at Darth Krayt’s hands, and the Shadow Alliance’s invasion of Korriban. She was ready for this nightmare to end so that she could return to Kesh, and take up Edaan and Vestara on their offer to become teachers for the Jedi Order’s future temple.

 

She cut her way through Sith, droid, and mercenary in order to get a little closer to galactic peace. She, along with X2, Kyle, Corran, Ghes, Venku, and ten other Jedi, Imperial Knights, and Mandalorians, were fighting their way to the bunker where Vestara suspected where Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers were hiding. They quickly made their way through the medbay, and were about to leave the large room when she sensed several dozen Light Side presences approaching their position.

 

Seelah and X2 then ordered their task force to halt, and they were quickly met by Boba, Sintas, K’Kruhk, Ben, Akku, Atai, AG-37, Allana, Zeb, Chopper, and their division of the Shadow Alliance task force.

 

“Well, I guess that our reinforcements are here. And, not a moment too soon, because we’ve got less than six-and-a-half hours until it’s game over for the Shadow Alliance.” X2 gratefully said as he gratefully offered his hand to Boba, who shook it in respect for the Jedi Master who was one of the few people that managed to defeat him in a dogfight, this one was over the desert planet of Geonosis in the months before the Battle of Yavin.

 

After the greetings were done, X2 said, “What’s the situation?”

 

“Edaan, Tau, and Butch are hunting down Darth Krayt while the rest of our task force is going to capture the spaceport before Krayt’s dark sider reinforcements come into the catacombs.” K’Kruhk gruffly said in a quick manner, which shocked Jaina, as she did not know of this development.

 

“Wait, wait, hold on. What dark siders?” Jaina said as she felt a headache creep up from the recesses of her mind.

  
“Krayt’s got an army of about five thousand dark siders that are comprised from the Dathomir Nightsisters and Nightbrothers, the Tapani Sector’s entire Mecrosa Order, the Ualtaullu Rift’s entire order of the Kanzer Exiles, the Nihil Retreat’s Sorcerers of Rhand, Mustafar’s order of the Blackguard, and the Sith-originated Black Knights of recent years. They were cut down to over three thousand by our naval forces, but they’ll still be here within twenty-five minutes.” Boba angrily said.

 

“And here I thought that this was going to be easy.” Jaina sarcastically said as she punched a wall in frustration.

 

“That’s our luck in life.” Mirta despondently said as she looked at her husband in relief that he was still alive and well.

 

“This isn’t the time for jokes, Mirta. We need a plan, and we kriffing need it right now!” Zeb growled out.

 

“We have to hit them hard and fast, before they can regroup, because we’re pushing them into a corner, and that’s where they’ll be the most dangerous.” Venku viciously said, which everyone agreed with, as they knew that the time for patience was over, especially since time was of the essence.

 

After a minute of rest and planning their next move, the two groups resumed their push towards the bunker where Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers were likely to be hiding.

 

_Ten Minutes Later,_

_0650 Hours_

_6.16 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_In The Citadel’s Underground Bunker_

“It won’t be long now, Lord Wyyrlok. The Shadow Alliance is making their way here, and they’re making fast work out of our defenses.” Said the Togruta Sith Lord that had earlier questioned Darth Krayt on his plans to defeat their enemies.

 

“Then we need to prepare for the invasion, and make sure that the Shadow Alliance goes down before they kill us and derail our master’s plans.” Wyyrlok angrily said as he resisted the urge to kill the doubting Sith Lord, as he knew that he needed every man and woman here in order to repel the Shadow Alliance.

 

He then turned to face the security monitors, and saw Ben Skywalker, Vestara Khai, as well as the other five hundred and fifty members of the Shadow Alliance’s task force, push their way through the citadel’s faltering security systems and defense droids without any casualties.

 

Realizing that his life might end soon, he decided to tie up one loose end, and pulled out his personal Holonet communicator. He then activated it, and, after a few moments of waiting, the image of Sorzus appeared, and she seemed greatly surprised at her father’s sudden call. She then concernedly said, “ _Father. Why are you calling me? Don’t you have to prepare for the Shadow Alliance coming to your location?_ ”

 

“We’re as ready as we’ll ever be, my daughter. I just wanted to say to you that, in case I don’t make it out of this battle alive, I love you, and that I am so proud of you for how far you’ve advanced in the ways of the Dark Side, and for the Sith Lady that you have become.” Wyyrlok solemnly said as he felt tears well up in his eyes, which made Sorzus worry even more for her father.

 

“ _Don’t act like that, father. You will survive the Shadow Alliance’s attack and we will help Lord Krayt dominate the galaxy and bring true order to it._ ” Sorzus worriedly said as she felt tears of her own begin to form at the prospect of losing her father. She then looked over her shoulder, and she said, “ _I can sense that the Shadow Alliance is coming closer to our location, and that they will be here within twenty minutes, so I have sign off in order to coordinate our defenses, as the future of the Sith Order hangs in the balance. May the Dark Side of the Force be with us all in these last six hours._ ”

 

“Goodbye, my daughter.” Wyyrlok mournfully said as she deactivated her Holonet receiver, as he knew that, even if he managed to defeat the Shadow Alliance here, he would still die from the earthquake that the Sith Sorcerers were building. He took solace in the fact that his daughter would survive the purge that would follow, and that she would become Krayt’s Shadow Hand as he restored order to a war-torn galaxy.

 

_Twenty Minutes Later_

_0710 Hours_

_5.83 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Just Outside The Citadel’_ _s Spaceport_

Sorzus saw Vestara Khai, as well as the rest of their division of the task force, rapidly approach her position, and she made several subtle hand gestures in order to signal her followers to get into position for their ambush. The young Chagrian female then slowly walked to meet her two adversaries, and, once the three women were within twenty feet of each other, Sorzus said, “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Vestara Khai, Ben Skywalker’s whore. Such a pleasure to see you after all of this time.”

 

“And if it isn’t Sorzus, Wyyrlok’s little girl. So, what possessed Krayt to leave such a strategically important resource in the hands of a twenty year-old?” Vestara sneeringly retorted to the young woman.

 

“I guess that he trusted me more than he did you, which, given your weak sense of loyalty, was completely justified.” Sorzus said in an attempt to goad the reformed Sith Lady into making a fatal mistake.

 

Instead, Vestara calmly replied, “You’re right: I did have a weak sense of loyalty. But, thanks to Edaan and Ben, I now know what I truly want and where my loyalties lie. Now, I’m going to give you just one chance to surrender, and you have my word that you will be given a fair trial by the Shadow Alliance.”

 

“Thanks for the offer, Vestara, but I’ll take my chances with fighting my way to freedom, because I’ll either be killed or imprisoned by the Jedi for killing the turncoat Snoke after he defected to the Jedi and helped kill Sedriss.” Sorzus said in a tone that would brook no further discussion on the matter.

 

“Well, then, I guess that you just made this personal, Sorzus.” Vestara angrily said as she imagined Sorzus killing a redeemed Ezra in a gruesome manner. She and Seelah then charged at the Sith Lady, and Sorzus unleashed a storm of Force Lightning that caused the two reformed Sith to stop running in order to use their lightsabers to absorb the lightning. This diversion allowed Sorzus to flee into the nearby door, and she was soon followed by the small Shadow Alliance army.

 

Once the Shadow Alliance arrived within the spaceport, they took a moment to observe the area, as it had ships and transports of various eras and designs, such as an Old Republic _Valor_ -class cruiser, two GR-75 medium transport, a MC80a cruiser, and a _Providence_ -class dreadnought, and each ship was primed and ready for takeoff.

 

As the Shadow Alliance division slowly made its way through the spaceport, Sorzus’s proud voice echoed throughout the excavated chamber, “Magnificent, isn’t it? It took us four years to build all of this, but, with the help of our inferior allies and my brothers and sisters of the Dark Side, we made this inhospitable cave into an escape route for the future of the One Sith. Once Lord Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers finish their rituals, we’ll make our escape, and spread chaos throughout the galaxy until it submits to our rule.”

 

“Not if we stop you and rescue those children from Krayt’s clutches first.” Vestara said, her voice full of a determination that Seelah shared, and they and their followers charged to the command center for the spaceport in order to stop the ships from ever taking off.

 

It was then that Sorzus sprung her trap, and several dozen rockets sprung out of nowhere. Fortunately for the Shadow Alliance, they were able to use the Force to redirect the bulk of the rockets to where they originated from, killing dozens of Mandalorians, Zygerrians, and corporate forces.

 

Despite the initial victory, several members of the Shadow Alliance found themselves flung into the ravine that was above the spaceport, which, after several bloodcurdling screams, a series of _Splat!_ and _Crunch!_ sounds were made, which made the remaining Shadow Alliance forces wince in disgust and pity for their comrades.

 

“All forces, ATTACK!!!” Sorzus shouted, and one hundred additional Sith, four hundred Mandalorians, three hundred Zygerrians, and two hundred Czerka Corporation and Loronar Corporation security forces revealed themselves, and launched themselves at the surprised Shadow Alliance forces.

 

 _Well, no one said that this would be easy._ Vestara despondently thought as she cut down three Neo Death Watch Mandalorians and a Zabrak Sith Lord. She then saw sixty shuttles begin to enter the spaceport, and she directed several of her heavy hitters to destroy as many of their shuttles as they could before they could land and give the One Sith the advantage in this fight.

 

Several Shadow Alliance Mandalorians, with their rocket launchers, managed to destroy ten shuttles, while the remaining shuttles landed, and their passengers debarked, revealing fifteen Nightsisters, ten Nightbrothers, the Tapani Sector’s three-hundred strong Mecrosa Order, the Ualtaullu Rift’s entire order of eight hundred Kanzer Exiles, the Nihil Retreat’s three hundred Sorcerers of Rhand, Mustafar’s three hundred strong order of the Blackguard, and the eight hundred remaining Sith-originated Black Knights, which then charged at the now outnumbered Shadow Alliance forces.

 

_Five Minutes Later_

_0715 Hours_

_5.75 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Outside The Citadel’s Bunker_

“We have to hurry. I can sense that Krayt’s Dark Sider reinforcements have arrived, and Ves and the others are in trouble.” Ben urgently said as he, Seelah, Kyle, X2, and Jaina continued to cut a hole through the triple-layered durasteel door that guarded the Sith Sorcerers, which was nearly completely cut down after five minutes of cutting.

 

“Well, then, less yapping, and more cutting so that we can get this done.” Venku irritatingly said as he was annoyed of Ben worrying over his lover, who was more than capable of looking after herself.

 

“Oh, picky, picky, picky.” Ben said in annoyance of Venku’s lack of sensitivity to his girlfriend’s predicament.

 

“Boys, boys, enough with the bickering. We’ve got twenty Sith Sorcerers to kill before they complete their rituals, and we don’t know what defenses they might have, not to mention all of their abilities that they have at their disposal.” Jaina said in order to diffuse the tension that was boiling in the hallway.

 

And, just as Jaina finished speaking, the four Force Sensitives were able to cut through the door, and they saw a sight that disgusted all of them: The twenty Sith Sorcerers that were building their Dark Side energy in order to construct a Force Storm and a Force Earthquake that would be unleashed within the next six hours, and decimate the Shadow Alliance’s forces in both space and on the ground. And, in front of the Sith Sorcerers, stood Darth Wyyrlok with two Lightsabers in his hands.

 

“So, you must be Darth Wyyrlok, Krayt’s right hand man. You and you sorcerers get one chance to surrender, or we will kill you all.” Boba grimly said as he and the rest of the division entered the room, while the Force Sensitives of the room activated all of their lightsabers, which put the rest of the Shadow Alliance on edge, as they expected yet another ambush by the One Sith.

 

“You already know the answer that I will give, _Mand’_ _alor_ , so why do you even bother with the niceties? Either way, I’m dead, so I might as well meet my fate with dignity and honor.” Wyyrlok neutrally said, which surprised and impressed the leader of the Mandalorians with how dutiful the Chagrian Sith Lord was to his master and order.

 

“Then you all die, just as soon we deal with your one hundred Sith lackeys that are hiding in the shadows and ceiling.” Kyle calmly said as he briefly glanced up to where seventy Sith were hiding, who then leapt down from their positions in order to surround the five hundred Shadow Alliance members that prepared for the inevitable carnage that would erupt, while the remaining thirty Sith emerged from the shadows, and joined up with their numerically superior group of Sith.

 

“Eliminate them all, and earn your place in the coming new order!” Wyyrlok declared as he activated both of his lightsabers and charged at the arithmetically greater enemy force. With that said and done, chaos ensured.

 

_Concurrently, Within the Citadel’s Mess Hall_

 

**(Cue the soundtrack song, _Transformers: Dark of the Moon: It’s Our Fight_.)**

As Edaan, Tau, and Butch gained more and more ground on the fleeing Darth Krayt, he stopped running, and instead, charged right at the two Palpatines and tuk’ata hound. The two brothers managed to raise their lightsabers in time to block Krayt’s sudden lightsaber attack, but they were pushed back into a wall by the Dread Lord of the Sith’s telekinetic blast, nearly blasting them into unconsciousness.

 

Butch, seeing that his master and dear friend was down, knew that he had to buy time in order for Edaan and Tau to return to the fight, lunged at Krayt. His sudden attack took the Dread Lord by surprise, and he managed to rip apart a portion of Krayt’s armor, and inflict several gashes on his left arm and back, causing him to scream in great pain, as he felt a significant amount of blood drip out of the fallen Jedi Master.

 

“That’s it! I never should have allowed Nala Se and Aphra to experiment on you. I should have just killed you when I had the chance. Just like right now!” Krayt heatedly said as he blasted Butch with an immensely powerful storm of Force Lightning, which knocked him out, caused several burns across his skin, and damaged his organs.

 

The anguish that permeated the tuk’ata hound resonated within Edaan, and he quickly got back up on his feet and, upon seeing one of his closest friends being tortured, shouted at the top of his lungs, “BUTCH!!!”

 

Without waiting for Tau to get up, he charged at Krayt with his lightsber, which Krayt nimbly blocked, and the lightsaber duel was moved away from the wounded tuk’ata.

 

However, this gave Butch an opportunity to limp away to where Tau was, and he managed to lick Tau back to full consciousness. Tau, seeing that Edaan was fighting Krayt all by himself, quickly set to work on healing Butch, and then said to him, “All right, Butch. Here’s the plan: I’m going to help Edaan after I finish healing the worst of your wounds, and you’re going to go help the Shadow Alliance, and then get help, because I don’t know if we can stop Krayt all by ourselves. You understand?” Butch, feeling much better after he felt the rejuvenating healing energies of the Light Side flow through his body, nodded in understanding, and quickly made his way out of the mess hall.

 

“May the Force be with you, Butch.” Tau worriedly said as he then went to face Darth Krayt, who was now joined by about eight Sith Troopers, which were overwhelming Edaan before Tau was able to ambush and kill two of them, reducing their numbers to just six.

 

Edaan, seeing that he had an opening to kill more of Krayt’s Sith Troopers, used his enhanced connection to the Force to use the practice of _mechu macture_ to deactivate the mechanic components of the six Sith Troopers, and then beheaded them, leaving Darth Krayt alone against two very powerful Light Siders.

 

“We’ll give you one chance to surrender, otherwise, it’s up to the Force to show you mercy, for we shall show you none.” Edaan solemnly said as he held his lightsaber in an offensive position, with Tau mirroring it.

 

“You already know my answer, Edaan. I’ve come too far, and sacrificed too much, to let my cause die here. The only thing that I regret is that I couldn’t recruit you to my cause, as we could have shaped the galaxy to whatever image that we desired.” Krayt said, his voice full of melancholy as he spoke.

 

“Then we will do what we must.” Tau grimly said as he and Edaan charged at Krayt for the true battle that would determine the future of both the Jedi Order and the One Sith.

 

**Well, that ends another grim, but exciting, chapter of my story. Don’t worry. Butch will survive this story. But, whether or not Edaan and Tau survive this battle, that’s another matter entirely. Anyway, how was your 4** ** th ** **of July, as mine was pretty good? Oh, and, what book are you reading right now, because, as of today, which is July 5, 2017, I am almost done with** **_Star Wars: Rebel Rising_ ** **, and should be done with it by tomorrow, at the latest. Oh, and, as of last night, Squasher has updated one of their stories, and, from what I’ve read of that story, so far, I have high expectations to their great tribute to the Expanded Universe. Oh, and, I haven’t heard anything from Powerslammer, but I’m going to hope for the best, and continue to pray for him and his family. I can’t wait to start writing the next chapter of my story, as it will make my story surpass over one hundred thousand words. I can’t wait to show you what I have planned for the final battles that have begun in this story, as they will be the best ones that I have ever written. Well, I guess that that’s it for this chapter. May the Force Be With You, and Lone Live the Expanded Universe!**


	25. Chapter 24

**Good morning, all of you Star Wars Expanded Universe disciples! How are you on this fine day of July 6, 2017? I am well, as I will get a graphic novel through the mail tomorrow, which is _The Witcher: Volume 3: Curse of Crows_ , and I am very excited to read it, as I always enjoy the twists and turns that the series brings to the table. So, what are you all going to do on this fine day, as I’m going to relax, work on homework as my online summer class comes to an end, and work on my fanfiction, the latter, of course, was obvious? Anyway, when we last left our heroes and villains, the final battles were beginning, and the fate of the galaxy was once again hanging in the balance between the Jedi and Sith (What else was new here?). I can’t wait to write the final battle between the Shadow Alliance and the One Sith, as it will be the most ambitious project that I have ever attempted in my short fanfiction career. I hope that I can measure up to all of your high expectations, especially since I’m about to surpass one hundred thousand words in this story in the three months since I’ve started this story. Anyway, I am still praying for Powerslammer, as I consider him to be a good friend, two of the reasons that I feel that way are because he was the one that convinced me to write this tribute to the Expanded Universe, and because he’s been a good source of counsel for me. Anyway, I’d better get to writing, as I only have five days until my trip to Missouri, and I won’t have as much time to write as I’d like, if I have any time. May the Force be with us all in these troubled times. **

**(3:12 PM Addendum.) Hey, guys. I came to tell you that I just found out that I had made a big mistake in my story, as I placed Seelah Verge in both the divisions of the task force. I guess that Powerslammer was right in saying that I have included too many characters in this story. Oh, well. Live and learn, I guess. So, I have decided to leave Seelah with the division that is dealing with Wyyrlok, as that is where I had the most mentions of her. Well, back to writing.**

**(7:09 PM Addendum.) Hello, everyone. How are you doing on this fine evening? I am well, as I’ve finished _Star Wars: Rebel Rising_. Oh, and, before I forget, thank you, Henrik3232, for listing me as one of their favorite authors. I never thought that I would get a fan from Denmark, but, hey, that shows what I know. If you read this, then please tell me what you like about my stories. Well, back to writing. **

**(July 7, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everyone. How are you doing on this warm day? I am doing great, as I got _The Witcher: Volume 3: Curse of Crows_ through the mail today, and I can’t wait to read the whole graphic novel, as I enjoy the dark and gritty universe of _The Witcher_. Oh. And, I plan to finish some homework today, so that all that is left is my final exam that I will do within the next couple of days so that I am free from homework for at least a month. One more thing, I plan to introduce a surprise element to my upcoming chapters, which is derived from _Star Wars Rebels_ : “Twilight of the Apprentice”, and will be a twist that no one will see coming, as it is a plot twist that I came up with last night, as it just felt right in my story. Well, I’d better get back to writing, as this story isn’t going to write itself. **

_One Hour Later_

_0820 Hours_

_4.66 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Within The Citadel’s Bunker_

Darth Wyyrlok was beginning to believe that he and his sixty remaining Sith might survive the massive scourge that was the Shadow Alliance, as well as Darth Krayt’s wrath, as they were holding their own against their enemies’ onslaught, having killed ninety members of the Shadow Alliance’s task force in the past hour, while losing only forty Sith, and none of the Sith Sorcerers, to their numerically superior foes. In addition, several prominent members of the Shadow Alliance, such as Ghes Orade, Jaden Korr, Zeb, Corran Horn, Seelah Verge, and Sintas Vel, were ordered to head to the spaceport in order to assist Vestara’s beleaguered division. He was currently dueling against Kyle Katarn, the Jedi Order’s current Grand Master, along with the Jedi Master Ben Skywalker, and was managing to fend off their combined assault through a combination of strong tactics and adaptability.

 

“Give it up, Wyyrlok! Your running out of men to help you, and it’s only a matter of time before we find a weakness in your defenses.” Ben ardently said, hoping that the Chagrian would accept defeat, as he was tired of killing people, even those that professed allegiance to the Dark Side.

 

“Never! I swore allegiance to Darth Krayt after he saved my life, and I will never betray him to save my own skin! So, you can take your offer and die like the vermin that you are.” Wyyrlok vehemently replied as he lunged forward, striking at Ben, even as Kyle managed to jump above Wyyrlok and sever the top of his two cranial horns, which caused him a severe amount of pain as he stumbled back from the searing pain that permeated his skull.

 

“You were saying?” Kyle said as he quickly blocked a Togruta’s clumsy strike, and then cut down said Sith Lord. He then turned his attention to Wyyrlok, and then compassionately said, “Look, Wrrylok, I admire your loyalty to Krayt, I truly do. But he doesn’t deserve it, as, along with orchestrating untold suffering and chaos across the galaxy, he experimented on children to turn them into brainwashed super soldiers. Even you must see that that is immoral. What would you have done if your daughter was one of Krayt’s victims?”

 

Wyyrlok’s calm demeanor then snapped at Kyle’s noble, but vain, attempt to reach him, and, through the power of the Dark Side of the Force, he unleashed a powerful blast of Force energy at Kyle and Ben, which trapped them both in a Force Illusion.

 

The two men then began to experience powerful visions of the Force, showing them their past failures, ranging from Kyle seeing his father’s severed head on a pike, to Ben holding his mother’s poisoned body, to Kyle losing the love of his life, Jan Ors, to a member of the Lost Tribe of the Sith during a mercy mission to the planet Ryloth, and Ben seeing Vestara fall deeper and deeper into darkness, as he was helpless to save her.

 

They then fell to their knees in despair, and Wyyrlok sneered at the two of them as he passionately said, “Look at the two of you: so weak, pathetic, pitiful, and self-loathing for your past failures. It’s disgusting. And you two have the gall to call yourselves ‘Jedi Masters’ when you haven’t even mastered your own emotions, or can’t even save your loved ones from the Dark Side. Do you see now why I serve Darth Krayt? Under his rule, we Sith have transcended such fears, and have ascended to a new height of power, where we are free from weakness, and channel everything into our goals. That is why we will win this war, and that is why, once we deal with Edaan’s wretched Shadow Alliance, will rule the galaxy, and bring order to the chaos that you made us unleash!”

 

Upon mentioning Edaan’s name, Ben began to fight his Force-induced nightmare, and Wyyrlok, taking notice of this, slapped him down, sadistically saying, “I think that I will let you live, Ben Skywalker. Well, at least long enough to see me kill everyone that you still hold close to your heart, starting with your slut, Vestara, and your former apprentice, Edaan.”

 

Upon hearing those words, Ben became enraged, and tried to throw a punch at the Shadow Hand, but all he found contact with was air, as the Chagrian turned out to be a hallucination. He then found himself back in reality, as Wyyrlok was engaged with a furious Jaina and AG-37, and was forced to drop the illusion in order to focus all of his energies on preserving his own life in this increasingly difficult battle against both the Fel Empire’s empress and the resurrected, and highly lethal, C-3PO.

 

As AG-37 and Jaina kept Wyyrlok’s attention occupied on them, and not on Ben and Kyle, the two Jedi then began to gather their strength, and, once they were back on their feet, and killed two arrogant Keshiri Sith that had the misfortune of trying to kill them while they were weakened, they rejoined the battle against the Chagrian Sith Lord.

 

Wyyrlok found himself in a losing battle, as, in addition to having to face four of the most elite fighters that the Jedi Order had to offer, the tide of the battle had turned against him and his remaining followers, which had been reduced to a measly thirty-eight followers against three hundred and fifty emboldened Shadow Alliance members, which pressed the attack against the weakened Sith force.

 

 _May Sorzus forgive me for my failures, for I fear for her survival, because I don’t think that I can hold out for the next few hours._ Wyyrlok fearfully thought as he felt several lightsaber cuts permeated his legs and face.

 

_Thirty Minutes Later_

_0855 Hours_

_4.08 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Within The Citadel’_ _s Spaceport_

Vestara Khai was not in a good mood, as she, along with Dinua Jeban, Mirta Gev, Sabine Wren Trista Zel, Voort sa Binring, the rest of Wraith Squadron, Adari Thayn Palpatine, and the three hundred remaining Shadow Alliance members were barely able to hold off the slowly advancing One Sith forces, who numbered at twenty-seven hundred.

 

She was killing Dark Sider after Dark Sider, but, no matter how many that she destroyed, two more always took their place. To make it worse, she was beginning to get worn out from exhaustion, which meant that it was a matter of time before she made a mistake, and even a single mistake could get her killed. She was determined to not let that happen, as she finally figured out what she wanted to fight for, and, thanks to Edaan’s persistence, she finally won back Ben’s heart after years of separation, and she was firm to not waste this opportunity of redemption.

 

Her determination pushed her on, even as she killed two Kanzer Exiles with her skillful use of Force Lightning, and used a parang as a boomerang that she stole from Krayt’s armory to decapitate a distracted Nightbrother before she called it back to her.

 

 _Well, no one said that this would be easy._ Vestara said as she continued to fight.

 

*

 

Voort sa Binring lacked the physical strength of a typical Gamorrean, but what he lacked for in strength, he more than made up for in tactical and strategic ability. That was why he was able to direct his squad with a precision that could rival Grand Admiral Thrawn’s strategic and tactical skills. They were decimating a significant portion of Krayt’s reinforcements, which included two Nightsisters, twelve members of Mecrosa Order, twenty Kanzer Exiles, five Sorcerers of Rhand, eight members of the Blackguard, and twenty Black Knights. He only hoped that their luck would hold out for a little longer, until this war was over, and Wraith Squadron could move on to a more routine and less dangerous mission.

 

*

 

The three female Mandalorians, Dinua Jeban, Mirta Gev, Sabine Wren, as well as Hapes Consortium bodyguard and fleet commander Trista Zel, were holding their own against twenty Sith and their minions. Dinua and Mirta were simultaneously using all of their weapons in their arsenal to blast, burn, and poison five Neo Death Watch Mandalorians and two Black Knights. As for Sabine, she was using her Darksaber to battle two Sith and a Sorcerer of Rhand, and, with her decades of honing her skills with her nearly eleven-hundred-year-old lightsaber. Finally, Trista was using her Hapan commando training, in conjunction with the blaster that she was using, to decimate the remaining corporate and slaver forces under Sorzus’s command.

 

*

 

At the rate that the battle within the spaceport was going, it would take at least three hours until Sorzus’s followers would destroy the Shadow Alliance’s division. Vestara knew that what they needed was a game-changer in order to tip the scales in this battle.

 

It was then that she felt a familiar presence in the Force approach her, and, as she turned to face the direction that her new ally was coming from, she saw several Sith and Czerka Corporation forces being ripped to shreds by a giant Tuk’ata hound that could only be Butch. Butch then ran to Vestara and leapt over the redeemed Sith Lady, and bit off the head of a Rodian Sith that was about to attack Vestara, which filled her heart with relief that Edaan sent her help in the form of a friend that would always stand by her.

 

As soon as Butch swallowed the Rodian’s head, Vestara, in a tone that befitted a parent complimenting their child, said, “Good boy, Butch! I’ll be sure to give you a big, juicy treat once we get off of your home world. You’d like that, wouldn’t you, boy?”

 

Butch then barked in joy at what Vestara told him, and then licked Vestara affectionately, which made her laugh in embarrassment before she turned serious and said, “A-all right, boy, that’s enough. We’ve got a lot of Sith and their minions to kill, and not much time left, so, let’s get to work.” Butch then nodded in understanding, and they immediately began to work on killing more Kanzer Exiles and Blackguard that had the misfortune of trying to kill the two of them. The Shadow Alliance’s fortunes when Ghes Orade, Jaden Korr, Zeb, Corran Horn, Seelah Verge, and Sintas Vel, and twenty additional Shadow Alliance members from each portion of the coalition arrived to reinforce Vestara’s position, and they slowly began to re-claim a portion of the ground that they had lost.

 

_Thirty Minutes Later_

_0935 Hours_

_3.42 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Just Outside Darth Krayt’_ _s Citadel_

“You’re running out of time, Edaan. I can sense my Sorcerers gathering more and more Force energy for the rituals, and my followers are still holding their positions. In less than three hours, your paltry Shadow Alliance will lose this war, and my Sith order will spread across the galaxy like a virus until we infect the whole galaxy.” Krayt viciously said as he continued to attack the two Palpatines with an equal ferocity that Edaan and Tau managed to match, despite the searing pain that began to course throughout his entire being from the slowly growing Yuuzhan Vong coral seeds that the Yuuzhan Vong thirty-two years ago. ‘

 

Tau was quick to sense Krayt’s pain, but, not knowing the source of the Dread Lord’s pain, mockingly said, “What? Don’t tell me that the great Darth Krayt is exhausted already? I would have thought that the leader of the One Sith had more stamina than that.”

 

“Pain? What are you…?” Edaan curiously said before he sensed Krayt’s great deal of suffering, and, remembering that the Yuuzhan Vong, with the Sith Acolyte Vergere a part of the heinous torture that was inflicted on A’Sharad Hett during the final stages of his transformation into Darth Krayt, then said, “Let me guess, those Coral Seeds that the Vong implanted in you are still growing, and you can’t stop it?”

 

“I’ll find a way to stop it, Jedi. In the meantime, I still have enough strength to destroy the two of you.” Krayt viciously said to Edaan, which made Edaan realize that the former Jedi was trying to intimidate the two Jedi into surrendering.

 

“It’s not too late, Krayt.” Edaan said in an all but pleaded in a final, but knowing it would be all but futile, gambit to save A’Sharad Hett from his own darkness. “The Jedi can help heal your body from the coral seeds if you just surrender. You can still return to the man that you used to be!”

 

“That man died a long time ago, Edaan! All that is left for me is my plans to save this galaxy from itself, and there is no way that I can lose this fight. I’ve fought against countless enemies as a Jedi, built the One Sith out of nothing but sheer willpower, and play the pivotal role in destroying Abeloth! There is no way that a single Jedi Master and his infant brother can stop me and my plans!” Krayt vehemently replied, and the strength of conviction in the Dread Lord of the Sith’s voice made Edaan realize that the legendary Jedi Master A’Sharad Hett was truly gone, and all that was left was nothing but a desire to destroy the galaxy that broke and twisted him into Darth Krayt.

 

“Very well, Krayt. If death is what you want, then death is what I will give to you. May the Force take pity on you, for I will have none left to give after all of the crimes that you have committed.” Edaan solemnly said as he unleashed a burst of Force Lightning on Krayt in order to test an experiment. Upon contact with the Lightning, Krayt’s skin began to be covered in even more Coral Seeds, which made Krayt’s movements more sluggish, and proved Edaan’s hypothesis that additional Force energies would accelerate the growth of the Coral Seeds within Krayt.

 

Krayt then used the Force to pull several chunks of stone out of the walls of the catacombs, and flung them at the two Jedi that used their lightsabers to cut the boulders apart. They then gave chase to the Tatooine native, who was leading them into the catacombs that led to the tomb of Tulak Hord, as well as the Temple of Sorzus Syn.

 

_Ten Minutes Later_

_0945 Hours_

_3.25 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Within_ the Vicount _-Class Star Defender_ , _The_ Nossor Ri

 

Galactic Alliance commodore Kral Nevil was focused with a laser-like intensity on the ongoing battle. He knew that the Shadow Alliance was running out of time until Darth Krayt’s rituals commenced, and, despite destroying about half of the One Sith’s naval capabilities, which amounted to six _Imperial_ II-class Star Destroyers, four _Lucrehulk_ -class battleships, six _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers, four _Venerator_ -class Star Destroyers, one _Turbulent_ -class Star Destroyer, six MC80a Star Cruiser, and seven _Chelandion_ -class warships.

 

On the other hand, the Shadow Alliance had lost at least forty percent of its naval capabilities, which was in the form of three _Galactic_ -class Battle Carriers, fifteen _Imperial_ II-class Star Destroyers, five _Dreadnaught_ -class Heavy Cruisers, three _Nebula_ -class Star Destroyer, four MC90 Capitol Ship cruisers, twelve _Lancer_ -class frigates, four Hapan Battle Dragons, two _Nova_ -Class battle cruisers, three _Turbulent_ -class Star Destroyers, five _chelandion_ -class warships, seven Hutt Batils and Tarradas each, eight _Dreadnaught_ -class heavy cruisers that were modified by the Hutts to operate with a crew of only five thousand crewman, one _Venerator_ -class Star Destroyer, one _Invincible_ -class Dreadnaught Heavy Cruiser, two _Republic_ -class cruisers, four _Assassin_ -class Corvettes, two Bothan Assault Carriers, a third of the entire fleet of Commenorian support ships, half a wing of hyperspace-capable fighters that were designated “ _Predator_ -class fighters”, three wings of _bes'uliiks_ , four _Firespray_ -class interceptors, twelve MandalMotors Pursuer-class enforcement ships, five _Keldabe_ -Class Battleships, ten _Crusader_ -class corvettes, two wings of Mando-Verpine Assault Fighters, a wing of _StarViper_ -class attack platforms, and five wings of _Vyrhawk_ fighter bombers, one _Strike_ -class Medium Cruisers that belonged to the corrupt Loronar Corporation, two rare _Imperial_ I-Class Star Destroyers, two wings of TIE/LN Starfighters that had heavy armaments that included proton torpedo launchers and heavy laser cannons attached to them, two _Victory_ -class Star Destroyers, two wings of _Kom’rk_ -class fighters/transports, three Assault Frigates class Mark II, a Republic Star Destroyer, and three Chiss Star Destroyers.

 

The lack of time on the Shadow Alliance’s part was why he had called an emergency meeting with the Shadow Alliance’s top naval minds, which included the Grey Cadre, Gavin Darklighter, Aristocra Formbi, Azzim Anjilic Atirue, Traest Kre’frey, and Saba Sabatyne.

 

“You all know why we’ve assembled.” Kral grimly said as the Quarren commodore continued to speak, saying, “We only have three hours and fifteen minutes until the One Sith’s rituals commence, and we haven’t heard from the task force that went beneath the catacombs for too long. Master Sabatyne, can you sense the task force, if they’re still alive?”

 

“ _Yes, Commodore Nevil. Most of the Shadow Alliance is still alive, and thiz one can tell that they are engaged in heavy fighting, so they must be at, or close to, their objectivez. And, I can sense Edaan and Tau Palpatine battling a very powerful Dark Side presenze that is on the move, so they muzt be engaging Darth Krayt as we speak._ ” Said the Barabel Jedi Master, who had fully recovered from the injuries that she had received while on Korriban, and had helped rout out the remaining Sith agents within the Super Star Destroyer.

 

“ _Well, that’s good and all, but we need to prepare for the worst in case the task force doesn’t succeed in eliminating Krayt and his remaining followers._ ” Formbi said in dismissal of Saba’s explanations.

 

“ _Well, what do you propose, Aristocra Formbi? We need all cards on the table right now, because we’ve only got one hundred and ninety-four minutes left until our fleets are decimated, and the One Sith escape into the galaxy._ ” Traest said from onboard his flagship, the Bothan Assault Carrier known as the _Ralroost_.

 

“ _We evacuate our troops on the surface of Korriban, and initiate a Base Delta Zero bombardment into the Valley of the Dark Lords and the catacombs beneath the tombs, which will decimate the One Sith and trap the remaining Sith beneath the surface, where they’ll die out after a careful vigilance._ ” Formbi stoically said, which left most of the assembled leaders aghast at the Chiss leader’s callousness.

 

“ _Are you out of your_ karking _mind, Aristocra?!?_ ” Azzim vehemently said before he continued, saying, “ _We can’t just abandon our allies for a quick victory! Edaan and the others are still alive down there and fighting strong, and as long as they’re still kicking, I’m willing to bet that they’ll come out on top._ ”

 

“ _This isn’t the time for sentimentality, Lord Atirue. We need to be pragmatic, and that means that we bombard the area once we reach the final hour in the countdown._ ” Formbi said in argument of his plan.

 

“ _It isn’t sentimentality, Aristocra. It’s faith in my friend and comrade, as he’s united the galaxy against the One Sith and their minions, and, time and time again, he’s won against impossible odds. I will not abandon him now, not after all that he’s done for us._ ” Azzim ardently said to the Chiss leader.

 

“ _Might I suggest a compromise, then?_ ” Galactic Alliance senator Ponc Gavirsom said in a conciliatory manner as he spoke up for the first time in this meeting.

 

“What is it, Senator?” Kral said, eager to put this absurd matter behind them, and focus on fighting their real enemies instead of each other.

 

“ _We give the task force time up until the last thirty minutes of the countdown, and, if we haven’t heard from them by then, then we initate the Base Delta Zero initiative within the Valley of the Dark Lords._ ” Ponc said in a completely serious tone, which made Azzim even angrier at the Calibop’s agreement with the plan.

 

However, before the Hutt Lord could argue against this trip into madness, Releqy sympathetically said, “ _I am sorry, Lord Azzim, but it is the best that you are going to get, as Aristocra Formbi’s right: We’re running out of time before the Sith enact their endgame. At least you’ll have more time for your friend to come through for us._ ”

 

Looking around for support, only to find that everyone else was in support of this plan, Azzim said, “ _Gah!! Fine. But, when Edaan and the others succeed in their mission, I’ll be there to say ‘I told you so.’_ ”

 

“ _Let’s hope that you’re right, Lord Azzim._ ” Etahn said in his trademark grim tone as each Holonet transmitter shut down, leaving a despondent Kral all alone.

 

 _Why don’t I ever get the easy jobs?_ Kral sadly thought as he prepared to order his fleet to prepare for an orbital bombardment.

 

**Well, that ends my latest chapter of _Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War IV: Omega_. The clock’s ticking, and, like in many great movies and stories, the military leaders, well, most of them, don’t have enough faith in Edaan, and are going to launch their own plans in trying to take down the One Sith. I can tell that this won’t end well. But for who, we’ll just have to wait and see. So, what did you guys think of this chapter, as I put a lot of effort into writing it in the last two days. Can you believe that I wrote this chapter in just two measly days, because I sure can’t? Oh, before I forget, as of now, I have surpassed one hundred thousand words in this story, and it hasn’t been even three months since I started this story. One more thing that I should mention. I am considering taking a break from fanfiction writing when I go to Missouri for my vacation. What do you guys think of that? Anyway, have a good night. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	26. Chapter 25

**Good evening, everyone. How are you doing on this story night of July 8, 2017? I am well, if a bit tired, as I’ve done some studying for my final assignment in my online class at my community college, and have read more of a patriotic book that I picked up at Costco. I plan to take my final exam tomorrow, so, please wish me luck, because I’ll need all of the help that I can get in order to pass this exam and maintain my “A” average in the class. Well, I guess that I’d better get started on this story, as I’ve got a lot of writing to cover in this chapter, since we are getting very close to the end of both of the countdowns for the One Sith and Shadow Alliance, and so much needs to happen before the Shadow War ends. May the Force be with me.**

**(July 9, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everyone. How are you all doing on this warm afternoon? I am well, as I’ve finished my final exam for my online class, which means that I an officially done with my summer course, so now, I have over a month to work on writing and relaxing, when I don’t have to work, of course. So, as of this morning, Jeezes718’s single story, _Crucible Era: Chapter One: Choices_ , was updated, and the chapter was very impressive. I have great hope that they redeem Vestara Khai in their story, as well as get her and Ben Skywalker back together, as those seem to be the directions that they are going for, which makes me giddy beyond belief because my heart was really hurt in _Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse_ when those two were separated. Anyway, I am sorry that I didn’t write much for my story yesterday, my mind was exhausted from all of the studying that I did, and I wanted to give my mind a break from writing in order to recharge my imagination. I hope that you can understand, and I look forward to hearing from you once my latest chapter is completed. May the Force be with us all in the Dark Times of the Disney Canon, no offense to all of the lovers of the Disney Canon, I am just expressing my opinion in a Star Wars-like manner. **

**(July 10, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, all of my friends and followers. How are you doing on this warm Monday? I am well, as I got a good lunch, and my mother and sister are coming home today from a dance competition that they’ve been at for the last few days. However, all is not well within the country, as the California wildfires that have been raging throughout California are still active, which continues to worry me, as my good friend Powerslammer lives in an area near one of the wildfires. I continue to pray for him and his family, and I urge all of you, whether you are religious or not, to pray or hope for the safety of my friend, as he is a good person, and he does not deserve to lose his family or home due to a wildfire. Anyway, tomorrow, I go to Missouri, and I can’t wait to see my relatives, as we have a lot of activities planned for the eight days that I’m there. Well, back to writing.**

_Fifteen Minutes Later_

_1000 Hours_

_3.00 Hours Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_2.50 Hours Until Base Delta Zero Commences_

_Within The Citadel’s Bunker_

 

Darth Wyyrlok knew that he and his twenty remaining subordinate Sith Lords could not protect the Sith Sorcerers for much longer, as his men were dropping left and right from the coordinated assault of the Shadow Alliance’s surviving two-hundred and seventy-eight members of their division. He was especially finding it increasingly hard to fight, as he was missing all of his cranial horns, his left arm from a well-timed lightsaber strike from Jaina, and a shot foot by the IG-series assassin droid AG-37.

 

He knew that his tiem was nearing, so he sent one final telepathic signal to his daughter, and it said, _I’m sorry, Sorzus. I failed you._ He then felt Sorzus’s anguish, which threatened to overwhelm him, but he found the strength to push on, as he still maintained faith in his daughter’s ability to rise through the ranks of the One Sith.

 

Realizing that the Sith Sorcerers would soon be dead, as he only had fifteen Sith left, he sensed that Darth Krayt was near the temple of Sorzus Syn, and, immediately realizing what Krayt was planning, saw a chance to redeem himself in death, and shouted to the Sith Sorcerers, “GO TO THE BACKUP PLAN, NOW!!!”

 

Right then, in his distraction, he felt that his right arm was severed from his body by the current scion of the Skywalker family, Ben Skywalker, and he fell to his knees in the incredible pain that he was experiencing.

 

“What ‘backup plan’, Wyyrlok?” AG-37 angrily said as the assassin droid leveled his blaster carbine at Wyyrlok’s head, and primed it to go off at the push of the trigger.

 

“Here’s a hint, Jedi-lover.” Wyyrlok sneeringly said as he saw the last of his followers fall to the superior Shadow Alliance force, and used his connection to the Force to subtly levitate his lightsaber behind the assassin droid. He then continued to speak, saying in a gloating tone, “The same temple where Ahsoka Tano was killed by Darth Vader will be our salvation, and there’s nothing that you can do to stop us.”

 

As the four warriors took in this newly acquired information, Wyyrlok used the Force plunge his lightsaber into his chest, and he then fell to the floor in agonizing pain. As the life force bled out of him like a waterfall, he said in a weakening voice, “Long… live… the One Sith.” He then allowed his hold over his body to end, and his body exploded in a significant concentration of Dark Side energy. The three Force Sensitves among the four warriors were prepared for such a gamble, and were quickly able to create a Wall of Light in order to prevent a possible use of Darth Andeddu’s Essence Transfer technique from the dead Chagrian Sith Lord.

 

The Dark Side energies from Wyyrlok’s destroyed body were swiftly dissipated, and the four fighters quickly saw the Shadow Alliance prepare to blast the Sith Sorcerers from a distance in order to avoid the inevitable eruption of Dark Side energy from the soon-to-be-dead Sith Sorcerers.

 

“WAIT!!!” Kyle bellowed to the secular Shadow Alliance fighters, and he quickly said, “We need to cut their connection to the Force before we can kill them, or they could kill us all. And, we need one alive in order to figure out how to undo Krayt’s rituals.”

 

Acting quickly before anyone could question him, Kyle, Jaina, Ben, and the rest of the Force Sensitves among the survivors created an even more powerful Wall of Light to temporarily cut the Sith Sorcerers from the Force, and nineteen of the twenty Sith Sorcerers were blasted or blown apart by the secular Shadow Alliance forces. The only survivor of the Sith Sorcerers was a male Dathomirian Zabrak that, judging from the wrinkles below their eyes, had to be at least fifty years old.

 

“All right. Spill! What’s Krayt’s backup plan?” Boba said in a tone that implied torture if he didn’t cooperate.

 

After a menacing chuckle that unsettled everyone who survived the assault, the Dathomirian Zabrak said, “Telling you would do no good now, as the master’s plan is already in motion. The temple of Soruzs Syn was more than a mausoleum, it was a Sith Battlestation that could unleash waves of Dark Side energy in order to annihilate any target within the Horuset System. Lord Krayt has been reconstructing it to its former glory ever since the One Sith’s founding, and, due to one of Sorzus’s holocrons being destroyed by the Rebel Alliance, all it now needed was enough energy to power it, which my fellow sorcerers and I managed to gather over the last few days during your invasion of Korriban. Now, all that’s needed is thirty minutes until it’s fully powered, and the One Sith will escape the system, your pitiful Shadow Alliance will be decimated, and chaos will rule the galaxy until it accepts Lord Krayt as the one supreme leader of the galaxy.”

 

He then began to cackle manically, only to have his head blasted off of his shoulders by Boba, who, after everyone sent him confused looks, simply shrugged his shoulders and said, “What? He was getting on my nerves. And besides, he gave us the intel that we needed. Now we need to inform High Command of this so that they can bombard the temple, and then we need to head to the spaceport in order to help end the Sith for good.”

 

_Five Minutes Later_

_1009 Hours_

_21 Minutes Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

_Within the_ Megador _’s Bridge_

 

“Well, now I’m beginning to understand how Bwua’tu felt with dealing with all of this Dark Side madness.” Galactic Alliance commodore Turk Brand angrily said as he struggled to not blast a console in his fury of the increasingly difficult situation.

 

“ _Agreed. But, we need to bombard the temple now. Fortunately, at least we won’t have to bombard the citadel and spaceport now, which will give our remaining forces beneath the surface a chance at survival._ ” Kral said in a grim tone as he issued orders to the forces of the _Nossor Ri_.

 

“ _But Edaan and Tau are fighting Darth Krayt as we speak, and, according to their last communication, they’re nearing Sorzus Syn’s temple. If we bombard their position, then there’s a good chance that they’ll die._ ” Azzim urgently said from the _Varl’s Legacy_.

 

“We don’t have much of a choice, Lord Azzim. We need to take out Krayt’s best weapon before it’s fully charged, or we’ll be looking at nothing but utter destruction for the Shadow Alliance fleet.” Galactic Alliance and Firmus Nantz said in his trademark grim tone, which deflated the young Hutt lord’s hopes for saving his friends, as, despite his wish to protect his dear friend and his brother, he knew that Firmus was right.

 

“ _Very well. You will have the Hutt fleet at your disposal, but I still stand by my objections. We need to finish preparing the fleet for this change in events, because we’ve got only twenty minutes before Krayt’s plan comes to fruition._ ” Azzim said in defeat as he prayed to the Force to protect his friends from the Shadow Alliance’s wrath.

 

“ _Agreed. We bombard the temple in five minutes. May the Force be with the Palpatines, for I fear for their survival._ ” Traest Kre’frey solemnly said to no one in particular, and everyone shared his sentiments.

 

_Meanwhile, Within the Citadel’_ _s Spaceport_

“Father…” Sorzus heartbrokenly groaned out as she used a hand to grip her strained heart in the wake of her father’s death at his own hands.

 

Vestara, who Sorzus was battling, was quick to pick up on Sorzus’s spiritual agony, and sympathetically said to the young woman, “I’m so sorry, Sorzus. I know what it’s like to lose both of my parents, but you don’t have to end up like them. You can still turn away from the Dark Side, and everyone will help you to choose your own path. You have my word.”

 

“NEVER!!! My parents were loyal to Darth Krayt and the One Sith, and that’s where I’m staying until I die! You can take your offer of ‘redemption’ and take it when you become One with the Force.” Sorzus angrily screamed out as she struck at Vestara, who avoided her powerful attacks and pushed her back, not willing to give up on the young Chagrian woman.

 

“Don’t be so blind, Sorzus. You can choose your own path, regardless of what your parents want. All you have to do is trust in the Force, and everything will take care of itself.” Vestara said in a final desperate attempt to calm Sorzus’s troubled soul.

 

“Ha! That’s rich, coming from Ben Skywalker’s whore!” Sorzus mockingly said as she sensed her forces being decimated from their front flank by the remaining Shadow Alliance forces that had eliminated Krayt’s Sith Sorcerers, which included X2, Venku, K’Kruhk, Armand, Corran, Kyle, Tenel Ka, Allana, Boba, Ben, Akku, Atai, AG-37, Chopper, and the remaining Shadow Alliance warriors.

 

“You’re running out of time to turn away from the Dark Side, Sorzus! This may be your only chance to save yourself from utter destruction!” Vestara practically begged to the Sith Lady, who then angrily lunged at the human woman and tried to kill her yet again, only to find her rebuffed by an exhausted ex-Sith Lady.

 

Before Sorzus could strike again, she screamed in pain from the blaster wound that went through her right shoulder, and she quickly found that it was limp from the nerve damage that Armand Vorn inflicted on her from a well-timed sniper blast.

 

Vestara then nodded in gratitude to the ex-Neo Death Watch captain before she turned to face the wounded Chagrian, and beseechingly said, “This is your last chance, Sorzus. Either you surrender to the Shadow Alliance now, or we will have no choice but to eliminate you, and I really don’t want to do that.”

 

“You might have gone soft, Vestara, but I will never end up like you! I’ll die before I join your pitiful ranks.” Sorzus spat out before she bolted for the MC80a cruiser that was stationed at the spaceport, all the while nimbly avoiding the blaster fire from every Shadow Alliance fighter that was free to shoot at her, while the remaining Dathomir Nightsisters and Nightbrothers, the Mecrosa Order, the Ualtaullu Rift’s order of the Kanzer Exiles, the Nihil Retreat’s Sorcerers of Rhand, Mustafar’s Blackguard order, the Black Knights, and the Neo Death Watch forces were slowly being pushed back by the new surge of Shadow Alliance warriors who had linked with their decimated division.

 

Vestara was about to go after her when Ben stopped her, saying, “Ves, don’t! You and I have to help Edaan and Tau! They’re pursuing Krayt to Sorzus Syn’s temple, where a Sith battle station is housed, and that superweapon is about to decimate the Shadow Alliance fleet that’s in orbit above the planet.”

 

Despite the torrent of questions that now raced throughout her brain, she kept her focus in the here and now, nodded at Ben, and the two lovers raced off to help their friend finish off the Dread Lord of the Sith.

 

 _Within the MC80a Capital Ship, the_ Harbinger

 

Sorzus quickly accepted a bacta patch for her shot shoulder as she went to the bridge of the veteran Mon Calamari warship, and she brusquely said to the captain, “Launch the fleet. We had to go to the contingency plan, and we’ve only got about sixteen minutes until the superweapon activates.”

 

“But what about our allies that are still fighting within the spaceport?” The captain asked in protest of her superior’s orders, which earned her a painful slap from the Chagrian’s good arm.

 

“They’re all expendable! The five hundred children and massive trove of artifacts on these ships are the future of the One Sith, and I will not have them endangered for a group of fools and misfits from across the galaxy!” Sorzus angrily retorted to the Rodian female, who, in her fervent desire to live, quickly complied with the Sith Lady’s orders, and the five ships quickly took off, while only suffering minimal damage from the Shadow Alliance’s divided forces.

 

_Two Minutes Later, In Sorzus Syn’_ _s Temple_

_15 Minutes Until Darth Krayt’s Rituals Commence_

 

After what seemed like an eternity for Edaan and Tau, Krayt had, after stopping at the strangely active temple of Srozus Syn, finally stopped running and had stood his ground against the two Jedi. He was able to successfully block and evade Tau’s nimble strikes, while he had to suffer a few glancing blows from Edaan, as he was, due to both his cybernetic and Force-imbued enhancements, able to fight on even ground with the older Palpatine.

 

As the three warriors continued to duel within the recesses of the temple, Krayt snarled out, "You can't win, Edaan! My plan is already in motion, and there's nothing that you or your brother can do to stop it!"

 

"What plan, Krayt?! You've lost all but one of your high-ranking servants to the Shadow Alliance, and your Sith Sorcerers are all dead, so you can't create your Force Storm and earthquake. I'd say that your plans have been derailed." Tau confidently said to the Dread Lord of the Sith.

 

"Oh, you poor, simple-minded fools." Krayt false-ruefully said to the clone of Edaan before he continued, saying, "A good leader always has at least one contingency in place in order to ensure that their plans succeed, and I followed that philosophy. The temple of Sorzus Syn is more than a tomb for the long-dead Sith Lady, it's a Sith battle station! And my Sorcerers managed to gather enough energy to charge it to full power, which, in a measely fifteen minutes, will destroy the Shadow Alliance fleets that are in orbit above the planet, allowing my remaining followers to escape the system."

 

Edaan, unsure of whether or not to believe Krayt's claims, reached out with the Force to determine the validity of his statement, and sensed a tremendous concentration of Dark Side energy from the center of the temple, sending a spike of fear within the Jedi Master's very core.

 

Tau, sensing his older brother's anxiety, nervously said, "Edaan? He's telling the truth, isn't he?"

 

"I'm afraid so, little brother." Edaan gravely said, which made Krayt laugh with delight at seeing the great Edaan Palpatine so full of fear, which he fed off of in order to assuage the growing pain that permeated nearly every cell of his body.

 

The fear that Edaan soon felt was replaced by something much more powerful than fear: determination. The teachings of Qui-Gon Jinn reverberated within his mind, and they said, _Remember, young Jedi: Breath in the fear, and let it go._ Edaan then took a deep, calming breath, and allowed the fear and anxiety that permeated his soul to leave his body. His face then became nothing but pure certainty, as he then said, "Then we have just fourteen minutes to kill you, and destroy this temple from the inside out. One way or another, this war will end here and now. May the Force be with us."

 

After sharing a knowing look with Tau, as well as a brief telepathic communication through their Force Bond, the two brothers then blasted Krayt with a powerful blast of Force Lightning, which the fallen Jedi Master absorbed with his Lightsabers, but gave them a chance to make their way to the temple's obelisk, where they suspected the focus of the Dark Side energy was being focused.

 

Krayt, realizing what Edaan and Tau were up to, quickly gave pursuit to the two Jedi in order to avoid them ruining all of his plans for the galaxy.

 

*

 

As the two Palpaines bolted through corridor after corridor, Edaan pulled out his Holonet communicator and activated it, saying, "Edaan Palpatine to _Megador_! Come in, _Megador_! We have urgent information on Krayt's plans that cannot wait! Over!"

 

After a brief moment, the strong voice of Jedi Council member Saba Sabatyne came through, and she said, " _Thiz one readz you loud and clear, Master Palpatine. Where are you, because thiz one can sense that you are near an incredible concentration of Dark Side energy, and the Rothana, Dac, Chiss, Mandalorian, and former ex-Neo Death Watch fleets are beginning to bombard the catacombs in order to destroy Sorzuz Syn'z temple before it is ready to destroy our orbiting fleets?_ "

 

"Bombard the- Never mind, Master Sabatyne. Belay the bombardment, because I have a plan on how to stop the activation of the Superweapon, and defeat the One Sith in one fell stroke."

 

“ _What iz it, Edaan, because can’t we afford to wait any longer, and High Command needs a tangible plan in order to deal with this Sith superweapon?_ ” Saba said in her trademark collected tone.

 

“Tau is going to hold off Krayt while I absorb the Dark Side energy that is concentrating through the temple, and then we’re going to redirect it to the Sith fleet that our forces are engaging, disabling them so that the Shadow Alliance can capture the ships and the crews, and find out how Karyt managed to get them on their side.” Edaan simply said, which shocked the two Jedi beyond measure, and they believed that the Jedi Master had finally snapped under the incredible amount of pressure that his mind was under.

 

“Uh, I must have misheard you, Edaan, because it sounded like you want to absorb an insane amount of Dark Side energy that is being channeled through this very temple, WHICH COULD KRIFFING KILL YOU!!!” Tau all but shouted as the two siblings had finally made their way to the obelisk where the concentration of Dark Side energy was being prepared to be launched.

 

“You got a better idea, Tau, because if you do, then I’d love to hear it?” Edaan rebutted to the younger Palpatine before he continued, taking a deep breath as he gently, but firmly, said, “Look, Tau, the Shadow Alliance will never be able to reach the temple before the superweapon is chargd, and they need to focus on capturing Sorzus and Krayt’s fleet of ships. Not to mention that doing this could trap the hundreds of our people that are still alive. And besides, you won’t be alone for long. I can sense Ben and Vestara closing in on our location. You just have to hold off Krayt until reinforcements get here. I wouldn’t be putting this on you if I didn’t believe in you.”

 

After weighing his options for a moment, and, sensing the Darth Krayt was closing in on their position, he said, “Fine. We’ll do it your way. Just come out of this alive, as I do not want to be the one to tell Adari that you died due to one of your idiotic plans. May the Force be with you, brother.”

 

He then gripped Edaan’s forearm in a warrior-like fashion, and Edaan quickly reciprocated before he prepared his body to absorb and redirect the artificial nexus of Dark Side energy, while Tau went to delay Darth Krayt until Ben and Vestara arrived to aid him. However, before the older Palpatine could do so, his five dead masters appeared behind him, which startled him, and, once he calmed down, he irritatingly said, “By the Force, did you all have to sneak up on me like that?”

 

“ _Normally, I’d make a snarky joke in response to that, but now isn’t the time for jokes._ ” Jacen worriedly said to his final pupil, and he then continued, nervously saying, “ _Edaan, are you sure that you want to do this, because if you do so, then there’s a good chance that you will die?_ ”

 

“And if I don’t do this, then Krayt will win, and the galaxy will be doomed for another Sith empire, and I refuse to let that happen. I’m placing my trust in the Will of the Force that this is the right thing to do.” Edaan adamantly said in rebuttal of Jacen's concerns.

 

“ _Edaan, your heart is in the right place, but this amount of power could corrupt even the purest being, and the galaxy cannot afford to have another Sidious rise._ ” Revan said in both commandment and caution to his greatest student.

 

“Then I guess that I’ll have to think of the people that I love in order to protect my soul.” Edaan said as he neared preparing his body for absorbing massive amounts of Dark Side energy.

 

“ _You’re just as stubborn as ever, Edaan._ ” Tau mused as he recalled how determined his wife was to redeem him after he had returned to the Rakatan’s ranks during the First Force War.

 

“Well, I had to have been stubborn in order to get this far.” Edaan nonchalantly said to the former Force Hound.

 

“ _May the Force be with you, Edaan Palpatine, because, even if you survive this ordeal, then you will not be the same._ ” Meetra Surik solemnly said as the five spectral images of Edaan’s five deceased masters began to dissipate.

“Thank you, old friends. If this goes south, then I’ll see you soon.” Edaan gratefully said.

 

“ _Remember, Edaan, trust in the Force._ ” Qui-Gon said as he was the last Force Ghost to disappear from Edaan’s view, leaving the Jedi Master alone to continue his harebrained plan to end Krayt’s schemes.

 

**And, that is a wrap on one of the final chapters of the Shadow War. I think that most of you can figure out what happens to many of our characters in the next few chapters, but, I will keep writing, as I know that you are dying for more. So, how are you doing on the afternoon of July 12, 2017? I am well, as I am at my relatives’ house, i bought three good books at a local Sam’s Club, I am now relaxing, and expecting some company soon. I bought three good historical and political books today, and I am currently reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Book of Lost Tales 2_ after finishing _The Book of Lost Tales 1_ on the airplane on the way to Missouri. So, as of tomorrow, I hope to get _Injustice 2 #5_ for my collection, and I can’t wait for the rest of the great series. Anyway, I am still praying for Powerslammer, and I implore each and every one of you to do the same. Well, I guess that this is it for tonight. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	27. Chapter 26

**Good evening, everyone. How are you doing on this warm night of July 12, 2017? I am well, as I had a good dinner and dessert with my cousin that lives nearby from my other relatives, and we had a good dessert later at my relatives’ home. Anyway, I should apologize for not being able to post my latest chapters sooner, but my relatives don’t have Microsoft Word, and I can’t post it without Microsoft Word, so I have to wait until I get home in order to post the next one or two chapters. So, what have you all been doing since I last heard from you? I pray that each and every one of you are safe, especially since we live in a dark and dangerous time. Now then, when we last left our heroes and villains, Edaan had come up with a lunatic scheme to end Krayt’s schemes, while Tau was left to face Krayt alone until Ben and Vestara can reinforce him, and Sorzus and her fleet had begun their escape of the planet. Quite a worthy finale for the Shadow War that is raging on Korriban. May the Force be with me, for I fear that all of you might find my ending for the Shadow War to be, for a single word, anticlimactic.**

**(July 14, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everyone. How are you doing on this fine day? I am well, because, as of yesterday, I got _Injustice 2 #5_ , and _Dragon Age: Knight Errant #2-3_ at a local comic book store, and, tomorrow, I plan to get _Dragon Age: Knight Errant #1_ from the same comic book store. And, I have finished J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Book of Lost Tales 2_ , and I am currently reading a good book about current events. So, with all of that said, I’d better get back to writings as I’ve got relatives coming over in a couple of hours, and I won’t have any time write, so I’d better get to it. May the Force Be With Me. **

**(July 15, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everyone. How are you doing today? I am well as I got _Dragon Age: Knight Errant # 1_ today from a local comic book store, as well as several books, such as J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Hobbit_ and _Beren and Luthien_. They will be great reads, of that, I can assure you. I am currently watching _The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Extended Edition_ with my relatives, and it is still a masterpiece. Well, back to writing.**

**(July 16, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, my friends. How are you doing on this warm day? I am well, because, last night, one of my favorite fanfictions of all time, Iron117Prime’s _Worlds Collide_ , was updated with the first chapter of The Boiling Rock episodes, and it was excellent. I also discovered some great Injustice 2 stories, and I can’t wait to see what comes next in all of each of these stories. Well, back to writing. **

****

_One Minute Later_

_1020 Hours_

_In Orbit Above Korriban_

_Within the_ Megador

_Ten Minutes Until Darth Krayt’s Ritual Commences_

 

“Edaan is planning to do what now?!?” Turk Brand incredulously said to Saba as the last remaining Super Star Destroyer, as well as the rest of the Shadow Alliance fleets that are in orbit above the planet, ceased bombarding Korriban.

 

“You heard this one, Commodore. Edaan is right, we will never reach the battle station in time to stop it, and, even if we did do so, then the energy could discharge, and destroy every ship in the system, which would weaken the galaxy for opportunists. And besidez, we need to keep a lookout for the One Sith’s evacuation fleet so that we can capture them and liberate the stolen children..” Saba quickly argued to the Grey Cadre.

 

“ _You… Edaan’s…. You’re all insane!_ ” said the hologram of Traest Kre’frey as he, along with Aristocrat Formbi, threw their heads up in the air in exasperation of the Edaan’s plan, as well as Saba’s support of Edaan’s gamble.

 

“Well, all that we can do now is hope and pray that Edaan’s plan succeeds, or all that we’ve fought for will have been for nothing.” Releqy nervously said to no one in particular as everyone stared at the planet of Korriban in grim anticipation of the end of the Shadow War.

 

_Within the Catacombs of Korriban,_

_0.2 Kilometers from Sorzus Syn’s Temple_

_Nine Minutes Until Darth Krayt’s Ritual Commences_

Ben Skywalker and Vestara were running with the speed of ten men and women in order to aid Edaan and Tau in destroying Darth Krayt and stopping Krayt’s superweapon. They were, miraculously, not encountering any opposition from the Sith or their beasts, and could see the Temple of Sorzus Syn growing larger in their line of sight.

 

Vestara, sensing a growing darkness around Edaan and Tau, worriedly said to Ben, “Do you sense that, Ben?”

 

“You mean Tau engaging Krayt all by himself, while Edaan’s following another one of his harebrained schemes? Of course. Let’s just hope that we’ll arrive in time to help.” Ben irritatingly said to Vestara as they entered the temple, and followed the trail of Dark Side energy to the obelisk of the temple, where Tau was fighting for his life against an irate Dread Lord of the Sith, and Edaan had a hand into the surge of Dark Side energy, and seemed to be absorbing it, which greatly distressed the two lovers.

 

They quickly picked up the pace in their sprint to the center of the temple, and the saw a quick Tau nimbly blocking and evading all of Krayt’s much stronger lightsaber strikes. In addition, they saw Edaan reaching within the center of the surge of Dark Side energy and taking in the energy within his body, which made electricity crackle out of his body.

 

“EDAAN!!!” Ben screamed to his former apprentice, which made him briefly lose his concentration, and caused a hairline of the energy to surge out of his body, blasting into a wall within the temple, and leaving a huge gaping hole near the temple’s top.

 

Realizing that they needed to split up in order to help their friends, Vestara turned to help Edaan, while Ben ran to assist Tau in his attempts to hold off Krayt.

 

As soon as Vestara reached Edaan, she fearfully aid, “Edaan, what in the blazes do you think you’re doing?!? If you keep this up, you’ll die!! Do you want to leave Adari and the others all alone?”

 

 _No, my friend, but this is the only way to stop Krayt’s superweapon is to redirect it at his fleets, and disable them so that they can’t threaten anyone else, or restart the One Sith. My fate matters little if the Sith are victorious in their plans. If I can redeem my family’s name by destroying the Sith once and for all, then my death will be well-spent. My only regret is that I couldn’t spend more time with Adari, Ben, Tau, and tall of my remaining loved ones._ Edaan peacefully said through the bond that he and Vestara shared as he continued to drain the Sith Temple of its energy without even looking at Vestara.

 

“You, stubborn, obstinate, idiotic fool!” Vestara exclaimed before she continued, saying, “You’ve already redeemed the Palpatine name. You’ve used your gifts with the Force to help those who could not help themselves. And, unlike Sidious, who only used his abilities in order to pursue his own selfish ends in dominating, dividing, and enslaving the galaxy, you’ve used your abilities to create an alliance in order to unite the galaxy against a true evil through noble means. As far as i’m concerned, you’ve more than made up for your ancestor’s sins. And besides, the galaxy needs a leader in order to unite us in these chaotic and uncertain times, and you’re the only one that can do so.”

 

 _Thank you for the vote of confidence, but you’re wrong, Vestara. The galaxy has plenty of good leaders that are already taking charge. What the galaxy really needs is protectors and teachers in order to guide the next generation of leaders and fighters, and that’s why I proposed that you help lead the Jedi Temple on Kesh. I have faith in you and the others to lead the galaxy into a golden age, and that’s why I’m doing this. Now, go help Ben and Tau, as I can sense that they are in need of assistance against Krayt, and I’m only about forty percent of the way done with absorbing the energy for ending this war._ Edaan gently spoke to Vestara before he fully returned his focus to draining the Sith temple of its outpour of energy.

 

Realizing that nothing Vestara could say or do in order to convince her dear friend to stand down from this lunatic scheme, she then said, “So be it. May the Force be with you, Edaan Palpatine, for it is the only thing left that can save you.” After Edaan nodded in appreciation of her concern, the former Sith Lady bolted, and went to aid Ben and Tau as they struggled to fend off the Dread Lord of the Sith’s superior blows.

 

_Two Minutes Later_

_Five Minutes Until Darth Krayt’s Ritual Commences_

In all of Ben Skywalker’s years of fighting and killing, he had never faced an opponent as skilled as Darth Krayt. Krayt was fighting with the strength and intensity of fifty Sith, and he had a superior usage of Jar’Kai, which allowed him to more than hold his own against the two highly experienced Jedi. His blows were so powerful that Ben and Tau nearly had their lightsabers knocked out of their hands, and he was able to use the Force to push Tau into a wall, as well as repulse Ben onto the ground.

 

He then raised his lightsaber to deliver a killing blow against Ben when he screamed in pain from being hit by a strong barrage of Force Lightning, which was directed at him by Vestara Khai, who was standing behind him with a fixed look of determination on her face.

 

“You’re going to pay for that, you traitorous harlot!” Krayt snarled out as he readied himself to charge at his traitorous lieutenant.

 

“You’ll have to go through all of us, first, Krayt, and, I can assure you that it will not be an easy battle.” Tau said in a determined voice as he and Ben rose up from their positions on the ground, and formed up with Vestara, ready to engage their mortal enemy in one final battle.

 

 _Meanwhile, In the_ Harbinger

 

Sorzus could sense that Darth Krayt was heavily engaged against Ben Skywalker and the two traitors, Tau Palpatine and Vestara Khai, while Edaan’s presence in the Force seemed to be rising at an alarming rate. She could also sense that the remainder of her Dark Side brethren were being massacred by the more coordinated Shadow Alliance forces, which made her grieve a small amount for them, as, aside from the nihilistic Sorcerers of Rhand, they could have been great allies in the coming war with the rest of the galaxy.

 

After taking a moment to mourn for her fallen comrades, Sorzus returned her attention to directing the small evacuation fleet of the six capital ships that belonged to the handful hundreds of fleeing One Sith children, artifacts, and surviving Sith Acolytes. She turned to face the Rodian captain of the MC80a warship, and said, “Captain, how soon will we reach the surface?”

 

“About three minutes, my lord. And, from there, we will need another three to break atmosphere and escape the system. It’s going to be close.” The captain nervously said to the Chagrin Sith Lady.

 

“Indeed, it will, captain, as all things are. Keep me updated on any further developments.” Sorzus stoically said to the captain as she sensed the One Sith fleet within the Horuset System being decimated by the tactical brilliance of the seven members of the Grey Cadre, as well as Jedi Master T’Ra Saa.

 

 _May Darth Krayt survive the battle with the Jedi, as we need him in order to keep the One Sith alive._ Sorzus silently thought to the Dark Side of the Force as she began to see a dim light from the sun of Korriban.

 

_Back within the Temple of Sorzus Syn_

_Four Minutes Until Darth Krayt’s Ritual Commences_

Edaan Palpatine felt the full power of the Dark Side of the Force surround his very soul as he neared absorbing all of the energy of the temple’s superweapon. He could feel its insidious tendrils struggle to find a way to corrupt his essence, to twist him into an instrument of his will. In   fact, he nearly felt himself falling so many times, it took his iron-forged will to hold it back.

 

Once he finished his first portion of his dangerous mission, he struggled to get onto his feet in order to disable Krayt’s two fleets of ships, but the burden that he was now carrying was as strong as two tons, and weighed even his cells down with the power that he now possessed. Even though his will was strong enough to hold back the Dark Side energy, it lacked the strength to direct it, and he sensed that Tau, Ben, and Vestara were in dire straits, as they were exhausted as they fought against the fresh Dread Lord of the Sith, which made their already difficult battle all the more challenging.

 

Realizing that he needed something stronger than willpower to direct the Dark Side energy, he quickly remembered what Orielle Kitai told Vestara back when she was Darth Kitai in order to redeem her, on how love and hope was stronger than darkness. He then remembered all of the bonds that he had forged with his friends and loved ones, ranging from his deceased family, to Ben, Vestara, Akku Sei II, Robonino, Vua Rapuung, Jarael Chantique, R2-D2, Atai Molec, all of the Jedi that he had befriended during his training at the Jedi Academy at Shedu Maad, the Hutt Lord Azzim Anjilic Atirue, the Black Sun Vigo's Colovo and Durge, the Mandalorians that he allied with and redeemed during the Second Mandalorian Civil War, ranging from Goran Beviin, Mirta Gev, Sintas Vel, Dinua Jeban, Jaing Skirata, and the _Mand’alor_ himself, Boba Fett, who used to be as anti-Jedi as a person could get, Ezra Bridger, the Gray Cadre, and most importantly, the love of his life, who also happened to be his moral anchor for so many years, Adari Thayn Palpatine, and he began to channel the wicked energy into a powerful burst of Force energy.

 

However, he first had to alert the Shadow alliance of this development so that they did not destroy any more ships and cause any more unnecessary loss of lives on either side. Reaching out with the Force, he spoke to the Neti Jedi Master T’Ra Saa, and telepathically said, _Master Saa, when I redirect the stream of Dark Side energy, order our ships to stop firing, and prepare elite boarding parties in order to preserve more lives. Do you understand?_

_Completely, Master Palpatine. We will have boarding parties within the remaining One Sith ships in order to capture them. May the Force Be With You, for it may be the only thing that can protect you now._ T’Ra said with a melancholy tone in her voice as she spoke, which Edaan appreciated, as he needed all of the support that he could get in order to finally destroy Darth Krayt’s plans.

 

He soon was able to turn the bulk of the massive amount of Dark Side power into a concentrated blast of electromagnetic energy, which he then directed outward, and rapidly expanded from within the catacombs.

 

*

 

As Adari took down one Dark Sider after another, she sensed her husband release a virtually immeasurable amount of Dark Side energy from the temple of Sorzus Syn. Fearing for his soul, she turned to speak with K’Kruhk on this turn of events, but he merely said, “GO!! We’ll handle things here. You Just save your husband and the others. “

 

Adari then nodded in gratitude, and bolted for the exit for the citadel, killing three Blackguard as she did so, all the while praying to the Force that she could reach Edaan if he had fallen to the Dark Side.

 

*

 

Darth Krayt, seeing and sensing what Edaan had accomplished, bellowed out, “ **NOOOOOO!!! YOU MEDDLESOME FOOLS HAVE RUINED EVERYTHING!!!** If I can’t destroy your pathetic Shadow Alliance, then at least I can inflict a little more damage on this wretched galaxy!” He then released a humongous torrent of Force Lighting that none of the three fighters could redirect, and they were electrocuted to the point of unconsciousness, and brought near the point of death. Satisfied at the pain that he had inflicted on the three Jedi, he prepared another blast of Force Lightning in order to finish them for good.

 

Edaan, seeing what Krayt was about to do, used a portion of the excess dark side energy that he absorbed in order to blast Krayt with an immensely robust storm of Force Lightning, which incapacitated him long enough for Edaan to push him out of the temple and fall from an incredible height.

 

As Edaan examined each of the three fallen Jedi, he felt their bones begin to calcify, and he immediately poured even more of the Force into each of them, as well as giving each of them a portion of his essence in order to speed up their recovery. After several minutes that seemed to go on for eternity, Edaan fell to his knees from the massive exertion of energy, and the three warriors began to stir, and slowly began to awaken from their lightning-induced coma.

 

Tau was the first to be able to stand, and, as soon as he saw Edaan, he said, “Are you all right, Edaan?”

 

“Me? If I were you, I’d be more worried about you. You got hit by a massive storm of Force Lightning that would have likely killed you if I haven’t saved you.” Edaan incredulously said to his twin brother.

 

Vestara was next to speak and stand up, and said, “What happened to Krayt? Did you manage to end him?”

 

“All I did, Ves, was slow him down by throwing him off of the temple. He’ll be back, as I can sense him making his way through the confines of the temple. And, I sense Adari not far behind him. She must be worried about us.” Edaan stoically said.

 

“As she should be, Edaan, because I am extremely livid at you right now.” Ben angrily said to his former apprentice, and he continued to speak as he stood up to face him on even ground, saying “What the _kriff_ were you thinking, Edaan?!? That Dark Side energy could have killed you, or worse, corrupted you into an exact image of Krayt! I would have thought that you were smarter and wiser than that.”

 

“What would you have had me do, Ben? Let Krayt decimate our fleets and escape to wreak havoc throughout the galaxy? I know that what I did was stupid, to put it lightly, but it was the best, and probably the only, way to end this war and save lives on both sides. Speaking of which…” Edaan said as he pulled out his comlink and activated it, saying, “Attention _Megador_ , this is Jedi Master Edaan Palpatine, contacting the Gray Cadre for an update of the battle within the Horuset System, over.”

 

 _Onboard the_ Megador

 

“Well, Master Palpatine, I don’t know what you did, but whatever you did, it’s working beyond anyone’s expectations!” Said the Duros Galactic Alliance admiral Kir Vantai as he witnessed the ever expanding electrical net of energy affect the surviving One Sith ships, and they shut down after a few moments of their systems flickering on and off, allowing the Shadow Alliance fleets to send several boarding parties to each capital ship, which would soon grant them control over the diminished fleet. He then continued to speak, saying, “Your plan incapacitated every One Sith ship, and we’re taking the appropriate steps to capture them.”

 

“ _Good. If I was being honest, Admiral, I was worried that my gamble would backfire horribly and literally blow up in everyone’s faces._ ” Edaan nervously said as he bashfully chuckled to the Duros admiral. He then said, “ _Admiral, what about Krayt’s evacuation fleet? Have they been captured yet, or did they escape?_ ”

 

“We managed to capture four of the evacuation ships, but the MC80a Capital Ship that was designated the _Harbinger_ self-destructed in order to avoid being captured.” Kir grimly said.

 

“ _Blast!! I had hoped that we could save all of the children that Karyt managed to kidnap over the years!_ ” Edaan incredulously asked. He then continued, saying, “ _We need to capture Krayt alive in order to make sure that he didn’t leave any agents or contingencies around for us._ ”

“Agreed, Master Palpatine.” Firmus Nantz said as he came up from behind Kir, and said, “I hope that you can succeed, but, knowing your service record, that shouldn’t be too difficult for you to achieve.” Edaan simply nodded in response, and shut off his comlink, leaving the two members of the Gray Cadre alone to direct the cleanup efforts of Krayt’s fleet.

 

_Five Minutes Later, Within the Temple of Sorzus Syn_

“Edaan, are you all right?” Adari worriedly said as she leapt at her husband and knocked him onto the hard ground.

 

“Don’t worry, luv, I’m alright.” Edaan reassuringly said as he slipped off of Adari and stood back up.

 

“Good.” Adari said with relief before she became livid and said, “ **ARE YOU KARKING CRAZY!!!** What in the name of the free galaxy made you think that absorbing a nexus of Dark Side energy was a good idea?”

 

“It was a terrible idea, I know.” Edaan said in acknowledgment of his wife’s point before he then continued to speak, saying, “But it was the only plan that I could think of in order to stop Krayt’s backup plan, as well as end the battle that had been raging in space up until now. Besides, we still have a Dread Lord to deal with, and, after we capture him, all of you can yell and rant at me to your hearts’ content. Agreed?”

 

“Fine.” Adari huffed out before she froze in her tracks, and turned to see an incensed Krayt standing about fifty feet from the five Light Siders, who had a face of pure rage covering his visible features. “Well, speak of the devil.” Adari sarcastically said, as she was tired from fighting and killing Sith.

 

“You meddlesome fools have destroyed all of my plans for restoring order to the galaxy! And, I can sense that all of my followers have been, or soon will be, massacred by your accursed Shadow Alliance. You Jedi have taken everything from me, but I still have one plan left to inflict a little damage on your precious Shadow Alliance.” Krayt ranted before he pulled out two detonators, which greatly alarmed the five warriors. “You want to know what this is? Well,” Krayt menacingly said as he activated the two detonators, which caused a series of explosions to occur throughout the catacombs. He then began to rant, saying, ”these two detonators just activated the series of explosives that I had my agents place throughout both the catacombs, and my fallen citadel. In a matter of minutes, they will both cave in, and all of your loved ones will die, just as mine did throughout the years!”

 

“Explo- Krayt, you’ve gone insane! If the catacombs cave in, then you’ll die too, along with the remainder of your forces!” Edaan pleaded to the Dread Lord of the Sith.

 

“Oh, you poor, naïve Edaan. I always have a backup plan, which includes an escape route out of the planet.” Krayt gloated to the young Jedi Master, who immediately understood that Krayt had a hidden shuttle somewhere nearby.

 

Edaan, not willing to let Krayt get away after all of the effort that he put into destroying the One Sith, said to Adari, “Adari, Tau, the three of us need you two to find Krayt’s ship and get it running so that we have a way out of this deathtrap. And, if you can, warn our task force and the fleets of the cave-in so that they can get out of here safely.”

 

Adari and Tau looked aghast at the prospect of leaving their sole surviving family member facing Krayt alone. However, before they could say anything, Vestara confidently said, “Don’t worry about us. We can handle this old fossil. But we need the two of you to find the ship in case we need to make a quick getaway. You understand?”

 

Not willing to waste any more time arguing, Adari then planted a firm kiss on her husband’s lips, and quickly said, “May the Force be with you, my love.”

 

“And with you, Adari.” Edaan tenderly said to her.

 

“Any day now.” Krayt impatiently said to the five warriors in order to get them to fight him.

 

“Brother.” Tau said as he and Adari left to find Krayt’s shuttle, and then continued, saying, “Stay alive.”

 

Edaan simply gave him a thumbs up in response, and the two fighters left to fulfill their own mission, leaving Edaan, Ben, and Vestara alone to face Darth Krayt, who then began to run towards them for their final battle.

 

**Well, that ends the twenty-sixth full chapter of my final Jedi Odyssey story. I hope that you guys enjoyed, as it took me quite a while to write, especially since I was in Missouri for almost a week since I started writing this chapter. So, how are you doing on the evening of July 19, 2017? I am well, because, as of yesterday, I have returned home, and am back to my regular writing schedule. And, even better, as of today, I bought _Injustice 2_ at a discounted price, and I’ve been playing the game’s story mode for a while, and I’ve been enjoying all of it. So, Master Skywalker 121 and Donder1999, thank you for your reviews, as it means a lot to me that you enjoy my works. Well, I still haven’t heard anything from Powerslammer, but I will let you know if anything changes. I guess that that’s it for today. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**

 


	28. Chapter 27

**Good morning, fellow Star Wars Expanded Universe lovers! How are you doing on this fine morning of July 20, 2017? I am well, as I have had a hearty lunch, and am ready to write some of my next chapter of the final _Jedi Odyssey_ story. Fair warning, this will likely be a very dark chapter, as someone is going to die in the next handful of chapters that only a few people can guess as to who the person will be. Oh, and I plan to include a version of Gandalf’ the Grey’s “You shall not pass!” speech from _The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring_ very soon, which I thought was the greatest speech of the movie, and will move along my plans very well. Anyway, I hope that all of you guys enjoy this action-packed chapter, as it will likely be the biggest one that I have done yet. Well, I’d better get started on this chapter, as I hope to write at least five thousand words in this single chapter. May the Force be with me, for I’ll need it in order to write this chapter. **

**(7:26 PM Addendum.) Good evening, everyone. How are you on this fine evening? I am well, as I have finished _The Lays of Beleriand (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol 3)_ a few minutes ago, and I figured that I can write some more while my dad watches the R-rated WWII movie known as _The Great Raid_. I hope he enjoys it, as he watches a lot of movies, both inside and out of a movie theater. Anyway, I am about to start reading _The Generals: Patton, MacArthur, Marshall, and the Winning of World War II_ , by Winston Groom, and I have a feeling that I will enjoy it very much. I’d better get back to writing, because tomorrow, I’m going back to volunteering at my local help center. **

**(July 21, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everyone. How are you on this hot day? I am well, as, despite the excruciating Summer heat, I volunteered at my local help center this morning, bought three books while I was there, and I got two Star Wars graphic novels through the mail today, which I can’t wait to read, as I can integrate them into my head canon with little difficulty, and I almost always enjoy Star Wars stories. DaWitcher, I hope that you enjoy my stories, as I put a lot of work into writing them, and I enjoyed writing them very much. May the Force Be With You, and all of my friends that I have made through this great site.**

**(6:44 PM Addendum.) Hey, guys. Did you just see the latest _Middle Earth: Shadow of War_ trailer, because it has me hyped beyond belief for more of J.R.R. Tolkien’s glorious universe? I can’t wait to get and play it, as I have it preordered at a local Target for purchase the day that it comes out. Anyway, back to writing.**

Darth Krayt, formerly known as the Old Republic Jedi Master A’Sharad Hett, son of Jedi Knight Sharad Hett, now the Dread Lord of the One Sith, was enraged beyond the point of being reasoned with, as his plans for galactic conquest had fallen apart due to the meddling of Edaan Palpatine and his accursed Shadow Alliance. And, despite his best efforts, he could not penetrate the defenses of Edaan, Vestara Khai, and Ben Skywalker, so the ongoing lightsaber duel was, so far, a stalemate.

 

As he slowly fought his way through the crumbling temple and into the unstable catacombs of Korriban, he found his body being covered in several small lightsaber cuts from Edaan’s quick use of the Force to augment his speed. These small grazes barely slowed down the Sith Lord, and he used the pain that he was experiencing in order to strengthen his already powerful connection to the Dark Side of the Force.

 

Unfortunately for Krayt, this had an adverse side effect of strengthening the Yuuzhan Vong Coral Seeds that permeated his entire being, which caused him even greater pain, which created a continuous loop of pain and strength. He only hoped that he could escape Korriban in his hidden shuttle soon, otherwise, he would likely die from the coordinated assault of the three highly experienced Jedi.

 

*

 

Vestara Khai never felt more in tune with the Light Side of the Force than she did now, as she was in her true element at last, fighting alongside the two most important people that mattered to her against one of the greatest evils to surface in recent decades. And yet, despite all of the anger that she held towards Krayt, she still had a modicum of pity for the fallen Jedi Master, as she knew that he had experienced terrible traumas that left him with either succumbing to the Dark Side, or death at the hands of the sadistic Yuuzhan Vong.

 

But, she knew that that was no excuse for his crimes against life itself, and knew that the only mercy that she had the capability to offer him was killing him and putting an end to his torment, as she knew that Krayt had no intention of being redeemed by Edaan or anyone else. Unfortunately for Vestara, she had orders to take Krayt alive in order to find out if any of his agents were still out there, so her offering Krayt one final act of mercy was out of the question.

 

She also knew that when this battle was over, she would submit herself to the judgment of the Jedi Council for her crimes as a Sith, and she would accept any punishment that they gave to her, even if it meant death for her. That only meant that she would enjoy what precious time that she had left with her one true love, Ben Skywalker. As she assaulted Krayt on his left flank, she continued to fight on with Edaan and Ben as one, as each of the three Jedi were intimately familiar with each other’s styles due to their battles over the years, and were able to, little by little, push Krayt deeper and deeper within the catacombs.

 

*

 

Ben Skywalker had not felt so alive in a long time, as he was fighting alongside his one true love, Vestara Khai, and his former apprentice and oldest surviving friend, Edaan Palpatine. He was fighting against a Sith Lord that was equal in power to his deceased cousin, Jacen Solo. In addition, unlike when he fought against Jacen during the Second Galactic Civil War, he had no compunctions of killing Krayt, but his orders help him back from doing so. He only wished that is parents, aunt, and uncle were still here to see how far he had come as both a person and Jedi, but he took a measure of solace in knowing that the latter two were, after decades of saving the galaxy, finally at peace, and that his father would soon be reunited with his mother within the Netherworld of the Force.

 

Shaking his head out of his reflections in order to focus on the here and now, Ben continued to attack Krayt from his left flank, and despite the fatigue that was threatening to consume him, he pushed on, knowing that the fate of the free galaxy hinged upon the success of this final battle.

 

*

 

Despite the remnants of Dark Side energy that coursed throughout Edaan Palpatine’s being, he had, beyond anyone’s expectations, managed to become a pure conduit of Light Side energy through his powerful will, as well as his near purity of heart. He continued to battle Krayt from the front of the battle, as he had the most energy and strength left among the three Jedi, and he continued to batter Krayt’s defenses as he led them deeper and deeper within the catacombs.

 

Despite knowing that Krayt was leading them towards an obvious trap, he knew that this would be their last opportunity to capture the Dread Lord of the Sith and expose the last of his Sith network, so he kept up the pressure on the tiring Sith Lord, and even managed to graze the Sith Lord’s armor, resulting in several significant cracks within the armor, which Edaan made a note of for later in order to try and use it to his advantage later on in the battle.

 

_Concurrently, Within the Citadel’s Spaceport_

Jedi Master K’Kruhk could feel the foundations of Darth Krayt’s citadel, as well as the catacombs that led to the citadel, collapsing from the inside out, which meant that they had, at most, ten minutes until they were all buried alive.

 

Unfortunately, the rest of the Dark Siders could feel it as well, as the Sorcerers of Rhand began to turn against their Dark Side allies, as they started to cause several Blackguard and Mecrosa to explode into nothing but ashes, which left everyone, Light Sider, Dark Sider, and non-Force-Sensitive alike, stunned beyond belief.

 

“What do you _di’kuts_ think that you’re doing?!? Unless we get out of here now, we’re all going to die!” A female Togorian Neo Death Watch Mandalorian shouted to the Sorcerers, which resulted in one of them blasting her with a blast of Force energy, causing her body to burst into blood and guts, which disgusted everyone but the Sorcerers.

 

“No. No one’s going to leave the catacombs alive. We wanted death and destruction to fall upon the galaxy in the name of the Dark, so that’s what’s going to happen, and there’s nothing that any of you can do to stop us.” Said a six-foot Sorcerer in a male’s voice that was distorted by his heavy reliance on the Dark Side.

 

 _Well, so much for all of us working together in order to get out of here._ K’Kruhk despondently thought as he, along with almost everyone else, which included the Dark Siders that had not lost their minds to nihilism, prepared to charge at the fifty remaining Nihil Retreat’s Force Users in order to find a way to escape the crumbling spaceport.

 

Boba Fett, however, kept his cool in this mad situation, and quickly typed out a message for the Shadow Alliance’s Rothana, Dac, Chiss, Mandalorian, and former ex-Neo Death Watch fleets in order for them to send the _Slave I_ , as well as enough evacuation shuttles to hold the seven hundred survivors of both sides. He then recharged his rifle and fired at an unlucky Sorcerer, who, to his misfortune, did not see the blast coming in time to avoid or deflect it, and now had a huge hole in his skull where his brain used to be.

 

 _Well, that’s one less person to threaten my people._ Boba grimly thought as he charged with the rest of his allies, praying to the _manda_ that help would arrive in time for all of his comrades to escape this deathtrap.

 

*

 

_Meanwhile, Within the Catacombs of Korriban_

“I know that we promised Edaan and the others that we’d find Krayt’s shuttle, but I have absolutely no idea on how we’re supposed to find it, Tau.” Adari despondently thought to the liberated Iteration of her husband.

 

“That’s why I’m here, Adari. I was programmed to read Sith hieroglyphics in order to know where to lead the Shadow Alliance into an ambush, so I know what to look for. Besides, we’ve got the easy job. How would like to go up against the leader of the One Sith with only a little bit of steam left?” Tau quipped to his sister-in-law.

 

“I’d take that over this, because I’m going to lose my mind if anything else happens to Edaan. I tell you, he just loves doing this sort of stuff to me. He gets some sick sense of enjoyment out of driving me crazy.” Adari retorted to Tau, who only chuckled at Adari’s self-loathing.

 

Tau quickly resumed his search for Krayt’s hidden shuttle when his Force-augmented hearing allowed him to hear a very familiar sound, which was the sound of a shuttle’s engines powering up from behind a nearby set of Sith hieroglyphics.

 

Realizing what he needed to do, Tau deactivated his lightsaber and said to Adari, “Adari, you might want to stand behind me, as things are about to get really messy in here.”

 

“‘Messy’? Tau, what are you talking about?” Adari asked before she sensed Tau building up his Force energy for what she assumed to be a Force Push. Realizing what Tau was about to do, she quickly got behind the younger Palpatine, and, after a few additional moments, he unleashed a powerful burst of Force energy that demolished the wall behind the set of Sith hieroglyphics, which revealed a modern-looking door for a hidden passageway within the catacombs.

 

“Shall we?” Tau graciously said as he bowed to his Keshiri sister-in-law, which made her roll her eyes in amusement at Tau’s antics, and the two Palpatines entered the passageway to find an Old Republic Era Corellian Engineering Corporation _Consular_ -Class Cruiser that had the emblem of the Ancient Sith Empire on both of its sides, as well as the name Dark Crusader etched next to the ship’s bridge, and several turbolaser batteries that, to Tau’s trained eye, appeared to date back to the Clone War.

 

“Well, I never would have guessed that Krayt would have had such good taste in personal ships.” Tau said after he whistled in admiration for Krayt’s choice in an escape vessel.

 

“Okay…” Adari awkwardly said to Tau before she tried to get his attention to the task at hand, and said, “We need to get this ship up and running, which means that you’ll have to appreciate Krayt’s choice in ships once we capture him. Can you figure out how to fly it?”

 

“It’s an Old Republic escort vessel that used to be favored by the old Jedi Order before its demise, so I think that I’m more than capable of flying this old bird.” Tau said, just a little offended at Adari’s lack of faith in his piloting abilities.

 

“Good, because I can sense that Krayt and the others will be arriving here in less than five minutes, so I need you to get it ready for takeoff in three.” Adari worriedly said, which made Tau drop his gung-ho attitude and get serious.

 

“Understood.” Tau said as he used the Force to open the ramp to the inside of the ship, which quickly opened, and Tau and Adari rapidly made their way into the ship, which had a small Sith Library inside it, as well as a small weapons cache that they knew that they had no time to examine, as he swiftly made his way to the ship’s bridge while Adari activated the Ship’s weapons systems, and Tau, relying on Edaan’s knowledge of antique ships, quickly powered up the ship’s engines and hyperdrive. As soon as he heard the familiar whirring of a ship powering up, he sensed four immensely powerful presences in the Force make their way nearer and nearer the secret passageway, and Tau prayed to the Force that they could succeed in surviving this deathtrap.

 

_Five Minutes Later, Within the Citadel’s Spaceport_

 

As both the Shadow Alliance and deserted One Sith forces continued to massacre the vastly outnumbered, and insanely nihilistic, Sorcerers of Rhand, who were, despite dying in droves, determined to kill every fighter that was within the spaceport, the first of the evacuation ships had begun to arrive within the spaceport, and warriors from both sides began to runt towards them, only for most of them to be destroyed by powerful psychic blasts of energy.

 

The ten remaining Sorcerers were the most powerful of them all, as they had blown up several dozen warriors of both groups with ease, and had not been suffering from any fatigue whatsoever. It was then that Boba Fett, K’Kruhk, Kyle Katarn, Tenel Ka Djo, AG-37 and the leader of the surviving Nightsisters and Nightbrothers, Tamith Kel, quickly assembled in order to find a way to beat their shared foes.

 

“Okay, anyone got any ideas on how to kill these _di’kuts_ , because we need one ASAP?!” Boba urgently said to his four compatriots.

 

“How about a Control web? My fellow Nightsisters, combined with the powers of the rest of the Force users, can use the Force to weaken the powers of the Sorcerers, and then we can kill them all with much less difficulty.” Tamith suggested, which the Light Siders quickly shot down.

 

“Your idea has potential, but we don’t have the time for such an elaborate ritual. Instead, we can sever the Sorcerers’ connection to the Force, and then we can eliminate them and escape this deathtrap before it’s too late. All in favor?” Kyle calmly countered, and everyone but Tamith raised their hands in acceptance of the plan, and they quickly informed the rest of their followers and allies. The several hundred Force Sensitives that remained quickly proceeded to channel both the Light and Dark Sides of the Force in order to block the Sorcerers’ connections with the Force, which, a matter of moments, cut off the Sorcerers to the Force, allowing the blaster-wielding soldiers to shoot them down in handful of seconds.

 

“Well, that was fun.” Tamith sarcastically said before she turned to face the four other warriors, and practically begged, “I don’t suppose that you’ll allow more of Krayt’s pawns to escape with you? We’ll accept any punishment that you see fit, just get us to safety!”

 

“You’ve got yourself a deal, Tamith.” Kyle quickly said before anyone else, especially Boba or Tenel Ka, could object to the offer. With that said, the five leaders quickly organized an evacuation of the eight hundred and thirty-six fighters, and they quickly made their way out of the collapsing catacombs.

 

The five leaders, on the other hand, went onto Boba’s _Slave I_ , and the ship quickly began to follow the others, when AG suddenly said, “Has anyone heard from Edaan and the others? They were not seen entering any of the ships.”

 

“No, and… how in the name of the Sprits are they going to get out of the catacombs at this rate, because they’ll completely cave in in a few minutes?!?” Tamith incredulously said, as she could not imagine anyone, not even a descendant of the legendary Darth Sidious, survive a cave-in of this magnitude.

 

“I can sense that they’re still alive, and that three of them are fighting Darth Krayt right now. Hang on, I’ll contact Adari right now.” Kyle urgently said as he activated his comlink, and spoke into it, quickly saying, “Adari? Where are you and the others? The catacombs don’t look like they can hold on for much longer, and I can sense that three of you are battling Krayt.”

 

“ _Master Katarn! Oh, thank the Force that you’re still alive!_ ” Adari said, her voice full of relief as she spoke, and she continued to speak saying, “ _Tau and I have taken command of Krayt’s personal shuttle, and are preparing it for liftoff as soon as the others arrive, so we can ambush Krayt and kill him. Once he’s done, we’ll leave the catacombs and link up with the fleet._ ” A moment passed as someone left their seat in order to head down the hall, and Adari then spoke again, saying, “ _Tau’s gone to help Edaan and the others, as we can sense that the others are about to enter the chamber. I have to go. You’d better get out of here while you still can. May the Force be with you._ ” With those words of finality said, Adari ended the comlink, leaving the stunned six warriors alone with their thoughts.

 

It was AG-37 that broke the silence, saying, “We have to go and help them, because we’re the only ones in a positon to aid them.”

 

“Oh, no. Absolutely not, droid!” Tamith ardently said in denial of this declaration. She then continued to speak, saying, “There is no wat that I’m going to go deeper into this hellhole in order to save a handful of Jedi, as well as go up against that traitorous _schutta_. I say that we hightail it out of here while we still can. Who’s with me?”

 

No one, not even Boba, spoke in support of her proposition, which left Tamith incensed at this supposed lack of sanity, and she then said, “So be it. I’ll just have to take matters into my own hands. I wish- ghhkh!” Tamith then felt a blaster bolt go through her chest, and she turned to see AG-37 holding his blaster carbine at the dying Nightsister.

 

“I would have spared you, if you only had had a little faith in the Force, as well as in us, Tamith Kel.” AG solemnly said to the woman, who then fell to the ground as the life quickly exited her corpse.

 

Everyone, even Boba, looked at the assassin droid in an incredulous manner, and he then said, “What? She was going to kill us first. I did what I had to do, and I’d do it again. Now then, don’t we have a few Jedi to save?”

 

“Ugh. I’m getting too old for this.” Boba grumbled out, much to the amusement of everyone, even the humorless Tenel Ka, and the _Slave I_ began to make its way deeper within the catacombs, with K’Kruhk, Kyle, and Tenel Ka serving as a secondary navigational system for the Force-blind _Mand’alor_.

 

_Back within the Catacombs,_

_Just Outside the_ Dark Crusader

 

 _Oh, those two meddlesome fools had better not have spoiled my plans for escape!_ Krayt furiously thought as he continued to lead the three Jedi within the now-exposed passageway through the Sith ruins, and he soon saw his personal shuttle preparing to take off, with Edaan’s wife at the helm, and Tau guarding the ship, before he ran to join the fight. This made his blood boil even further, and he renewed his assault on Edaan and the others. His raw power was enough to sever Vestara’s right arm up to her elbow, which made her scream out in pain as she was pushed into a wall, which nearly knocked her out cold, and turned Ben’s blood cold from fear for his love’s life, and anger that Krayt had injured her.

 

Ben then prepared to go after Krayt with killing intent, but Edaan stopped him by yelling out, “Ben, you need to focus on getting Ves to safety! Tau and I will finish off Krayt! He’s too dangerous to be taken in alive, so we’ve only got one option left to us.”

 

Ben, grateful that Edaan understood his distress, and, knowing that his distressed state would likely get him killed, left to get Vestara onto Krayt’s ship, leaving Edaan and Tau alone to face the Dread Lord of the Sith for the final battle.

 

“Well, well, here we are again, for what I can promise to be the final time. The two Palpatines against the Dread Lord of the Sith, and this time, there’s no running from your fate. I’m going to kill the two of you, then kill everyone on my ship, and then I’ll make my escape and restart the One Sith and bring order back to this undeserving galaxy.” Krayt dementedly said in a monologue to the two brothers, who shared a laugh that only served to further enrage the former Jedi Master, who then said, “What’s so funny, you brats?!?”

 

“You, Krayt. You actually think that you’re going to take over the galaxy and impose darkness back on this galaxy. Don’t you get it? My brother managed to unite the galaxy that you and the rest of the Sith divided, and it’s united against _you_. He’s done what not one individual has managed to do, and that’s unite the entire galaxy for peace against a great evil. As far as I’m concerned, he’s the great leader that we’ve been waiting for, not you, so you and your grand plans for order can go to Chaos!” Tau fervently said to Krayt, while Edaan was touched by Tau’s faith in him.

 

“I’d love to contradict your noble ideals, but we’re short on time, so, I think that I’ll just kill the two of you. Say your goodbyes, because this will be the last that you see of each other.” Krayt maniacally said as he lunged at the two Palpatines, who blocked his attack, and the final battle between the three Force Users began in earnest.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on the next chapter of my glorious saga! So, Vestara has been injured, Ben has gone to care for her, and the _Slave I_ is on the move to assist Edaan and Tau in taking down Krayt. What did you guys think of the chapter, and be honest, as I value your input and constructive criticism? I thought that it was well done, as it set the stage for the final battle between the leaders of the Shadow Alliance and the One Sith. I will say this much about the final battle: Three stand, but one shall fall. Think about that. Anyway, I can’t believe that I wrote this chapter in only two days! I must have been really inspired to write. So, I guess that that’s it for this chapter. I’d better get going, as I’ve got some reading to do. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


	29. Chapter 28

**Good afternoon, everyone who loves a good Star Wars Expanded Universe story! How are you on this warm day of July 22, 2017? I am well, if a little tired, as, so far, I’ve been reading more of _The Generals: Patton, MacArthur, Marshall, and the Winning of World War II_ , by Winston Groom, and I’ve been enjoying it, as I’ve read through over a third of the book so far. Unfortunately, due to my massive influx of books that I’ve been purchasing in both here and in Missouri, my mother has prohibited me from buying any more books for a while. Anyway, I’m ready to get started on what is becoming more than likely that this will be the final battle in my story. After that, the story will begin its denouement, and the story will end with a twist that only one person beside myself will see coming. So, as of now, I’ve written over two hundred and ten pages in this story so far, along with over one hundred and eleven thousand words in this final story. Well, I’d better get to writing my chapter, as I’ve only got so much time left before I have to go back to work. May the Force be with me, as well as Powerslammer, as I still haven’t heard anything from him. **

**(July 23, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everyone. How are you doing on this day? I am well, but it is quite stormy where I am, and I am a bit tired. Anyway, what comics are you guys going to get this Wednesday, as I plan on getting _Mass Effect: Discovery #3_ , and I can’t wait to get it, as I will enjoy more of _Mass Effect_. Anyway, I am still reading _The Generals_ , but I’ve made great progress so far in reading it. So, I think that I will need this battle to include a great Lord of the Rings moment, which will occur in this chapter, and will likely end the battle between the Palpatines and Darth Krayt. Oh, and, I don’t think that I’ll include X Ambassador’s song, ** **_Torches_ ** **, in my story, as I don’t think that I can make it work into my story. Well, that’s it for this addendum. May hre Force be with us all.**

 

 _Onboard the_ Slave I

 

Boba Fett could hardly believe what he was doing at this very moment: He was flying his ship through the bowels of the planet of Korriban in order to save Edaan, Adari, Tau, Ben, and Adari from Darth Krayt’s wrath, all the while bringing Tenel Ka, K’Kruhk, Kyle, and AG-37 along as reinforcements in case the four of them needed backup. In his younger years, or, even last year, he would have never gone on a suicide mission for a Jedi, much less for who could likely be the most powerful Jedi to have become a leader since Yoda. And yet, due to the young Jedi Master’s persistence, compassion, military knowledge, and an overwhelming desire to aid people who came from all ways of life, his heart softened towards Edaan, and they developed a mutual respect, if not friendship, as Boba was still too stubborn to consider people his friends.

 

“ _Mand’alor_ , we need to pick up the pace. I can sense that Edaan and Tau are the only ones still able to face Darth Krayt.” Tenel Ka urgently said, which irked the bounty hunter.

 

“Don’t tell me how fast to go, Ka. I’m relying on you Force Users to navigate the disintegrating catacombs, and one wrong turn will be the death of us all. So, you do your job, and I’ll do mine. Got it?” Boba irritatingly said to the Hapes Consortium Queen Mother.

 

“Regardless, we need to hurry, because I’m not sure if Edaan and Tau can take out Darth Krayt all on their own, let alone capture him.” AG contemplatively said.

 

“At this point, I’d just be happy that he’d be dead, because the Shadow Alliance will eventually have him killed anyway for his crimes against life itself.” Kyle said, which sickened K’Kruhk due to his respect for all life.

 

“But if we kill him, then we’ll never know just how spread out Krayt’s spy network is.” K’Kruhk pragmatically said in protest of the Jedi Grand Master’s apparent callousness, as he knew that everyone here was used to dealing in death, even the Whiphid Jedi Council Member.

 

“Look, we can worry about Krayt’s fate once we find Edaan and the others, and make sure that they’re all right. Fair enough?” Boba said, more than a little fed up with everyone arguing over the fate of a demented madman.

 

“Agreed.” Everyone said to the leader of the Mandalorians, and they kept quiet for the remainder of their journey.

 

 _Meanwhile, Just outside_ _the_ Dark Crusader

 

Tau Palpatine could feel the Force burning like a roaring fire within his body. Unfortunately, said fire, while enhancing his Force Powers, was slowly destroying his body down to the cellular level, as his body could was failing to handle the Force energy that he was calling on in order to stay in the fight with Edaan and Darth Krayt, who had years, or, in Krayt’s case, decades of experience in fighting powerful Force Adepts.

 

“I can sense your exhaustion, Tau Palpatine.” Krayt tauntingly said to Tau before he continued, saying, “Why not give up, and let the sweet embrace of death take you, just as it will soon take your brother and his loved ones?”

 

“I will never give up, Krayt! I’m a Palpatine, and if there’s one thing that Palpatines are known for, it’s that they never give up!” Tau defiantly said to the Dread Lord of the Sith, who only sneered in contempt of the younger Jedi’s display of courage.

 

“Then I’ll just have to make your death as painful as I can be before I make my escape, you young fool.” Krayt condescendingly said to the rogue Iteration before he continued his attack on the two Jedi.

 

As the three Force Adepts continued their battle, Tau and Edaan shared a knowing look, and used a combined Force Push to launch Krayt in the air, where the commandeered _Dark Crusader_ pointed a turbolaser in Krayt’s direction, and fired. Unfortunately for the Shadow Alliance members, Krayt deflected the blast with the usage of the Force Power of _Tutaminis_ on his stolen _Consular_ -Class Cruiser, causing an explosion that shook the entire ship and destroyed the turbolaser.

 

“ **ADARI!!!** ” Edaan fearfully shouted, which filled Krayt with glee that he could cause such distress within a usually composed and collected Jedi Master. He then turned to face Krayt, and, despite the rage that made his entire body shake in pain, he forced himself to stay calm as he said, “I will not succumb to the Dark Side, Krayt. But, I can say that I will kill you for threatening my wife.”

 

“That’s a shame, Edaan, because we could have accomplished so much together. But, instead, I’ll make you pay for destroying my plans for conquest.” Krayt mock-hurt said before he, noticing how exhausted Tau was, then said, “Starting with your ‘brother’.” He then charged at the clone Jedi Knight, and was intercepted by the quick blade of Edaan.

 

“Tau, get to the ship! You can’t fight anymore, and Krayt will kill you if you stay here!” Edaan yelled to his brother.

 

“I’m not leaving you to face this juggernaut all on your own!” Tau pleaded to Edaan before he saw Edaan’s eyes turn yellow with anger, and, in his sudden burst of fear, then meekly said, “Never mind.” He then tossed Edaan his Yorik Coral lightsaber, and then made a run for the _Dark Crusader_.

 

“And now you’re all alone, Edaan Palpatine. And, in a matter of moments, I will kill you, and then kill your loved ones. Now, then prepare to become One with the Force, you wretched Jedi Master.” Krayt menacingly said to Edaan before he moved with a sudden burst of speed, and slashed at Edaan’s chest, and made him scream as he fell onto one knee from the pain.

 

*

 

As Krayt then walked up to Edaan, the scion to the Palpatine family could see horrific visions of the possible future, with all of his loved ones on board the _Dark Crusader_ being butchered by Krayt, and him and his resurrected Sith order ruling the galaxy with an iron fist, and he then heard the voice of Vestara, saying, “ _Edaan, don’t give up. You can stop Kryat here and now, and bring peace to the galaxy. You just need to let all of your power out and no one will be able to stop you._ ”

 

 _Let it out? What does she…?_ Edaan wondered before the idea hit him, and he realized that he might not escape this battle alive. He then quickly began to gather all of the Force energy within his body, and, as he summoned the will to stand once again, he shouted to Krayt, “You cannot pass!”

 

 _Onboard the_ Dark Crusader

 

Adari, sensing that her husband was in mortal danger, prepared to disembark the _Consular_ -class cruiser in order to help him, but Tau got in-between her and the exit to the bridge, and sternly said, “You’re not going anywhere. You’ve got to focus on flying the ship, and trust in Edaan to finish off Krayt. Vestara is counting on you.”

 

“I don’t care! My husband needs me, and I’m not going to abandon him now!” Adari said as she Force Pushed Tau out of the way in order to reach her husband before it was too late. She quickly found Ben preparing to exit the ship, and gratefully nodded at the older Jedi Master as the door to the ship opened to reveal a wounded Edaan standing firm against a towering Darth Krayt.

 

“ **EDAAN!!!** ” Adari shrieked to her husband, who did not even look in her direction, as he was too focused in his trance.

 

Edaan then began to speak in a rising voice, and resolutely said, “I am a servant of the Living and Unifying Force, wielder of the blade of the Jedi Order.” He then ignited both his and Tau’s lightsabers, and raised them in a defiant manner. He then yelled out, “The Dark Side will not avail you, descendant of Jedi long gone!”

 

Krayt then smirked in amusement at Edaan’s speech, and then prepared to strike at the young man, but his lightsabers blew up in his hands, taking a portion of the flesh of his hands off , and he screamed in agony from the agonizing pain.

 

“Go to chaos, Darth Krayt.” Edaan snarled out as he prepared his final attack on the now vulnerable A’Sharad Hett. And, for the first time in many decades, Krayt felt fear course throughout his body, and he used his remaining strength to charge up a torrent of Force Lightning at Edaan. However, before he could attack, Edaan bellowed, “ **YOU… SHALL NOT… PASS!!!** ” He then unleashed a barrage of pure Force energy at the Dread Lord of the Sith, and he screamed in agony as he was blasted into wall after wall until he fell into a bottomless chasm, screaming the entire time that he fell.

 

“It’s over.” Edaan thankfully said as he felt the presence of Darth Krayt vanish, and his strength began to leave his body at a faster pace than ever before, quickly falling to the ground as a result. He then began to lose consciousness, and the last thing that he saw was Ben and Adari ran up to him, with Adari screaming his name the entire time.

 

*

Across the galaxy, the Jedi and their allies felt the disappearance of Darth Krayt’s Force signature, and they all rejoiced at the elimination of their adversary. However, their jubilation was cut short once they felt the fading presence of Edaan Palpatine, and each of their hearts were gripped by fear at the prospect of losing the founder and leader of the Shadow Alliance.

 

*

 

 _Onboard the_ Slave I

 

Boba felt his heart suddenly fill up with sorrow for a reason that eluded him, and he turned his head to see the grief on Kyle, K’Kruhk, and Tenel Ka’s faces. Growing concerned for his allies, he said, “What’s going on?”

 

“Edaan got Krayt, but I think that he’s dying. It doesn’t look like he’ll last long.” K”Kruhk said as a tear went down his face, which shocked the _Mand’alor_ , as he thought that no one could kill Edaan Palpatine. Realizing that speed now trumped safety, he accelerated his ship’s speed, and, after a matter of moments, he came across a CEC Consular-class Cruiser with Sith markings on it, and saw Ben and Adari bringing a passed out Edaan into the ship.

 

Acting fast, Boba opened the Slave I’s comlink, and tersely said, “This is _Slave I_ , requesting an update on Edaan’s condition. Respond immediately, over.”

 

After a moment, the voice of Tau came over, and he fearfully said, “ _This is Tau Palpatine. Edaan managed to kill Krayt, but the effort must have drained his reserves. We have him onboard Krayt’s ship right now. I think that he only has, at most, a few minutes left to live. Lead us out of the catacombs, and hurry, because he and Vestara need immediate medical attention. Over._ ”

 

“All right. You’d better follow me, because we’ve only got a handful of minute left until the catacombs completely cave in, and once that happens, it’s game over for all of us. Over.” Boba curtly said, and then shut off his ship’s comlink. He quickly turned to face the three Force-sensitives on his ship, and he said, “You’d better know the way out of here, because there’s no room for error here.”

 

“We know, Fett.” Kyle gravely said as he prepared to help lead Boba out of the catacombs.

 

 _Meanwhile, Back on the_ Dark Crusader

 

“Edaan? Edaan?!? Stay with me, Edaan!!!” Adari fearfully shouted as she and Ben brought Edaan to the ship’s medbay, and laid him down on a table, where the 2-1B medical droid was preparing to give Vestara a prosthetic hand before he noticed the dying Jedi.

 

The droid then said, “Well, mistress, it appears that you will have to wait, as we have a patient in a much more dire condition than you.”

 

“Yeah, no kidding. Just help Edaan.” Vestara sarcastically groaned through the pain as the droid prepared to administer a shot of morphine in order to awaken the young Jedi Master from his coma.

 

_Concurrently, Deep Within Edaan’s Consciousness_

Edaan suddenly found himself within a Sith temple that appeared to be on a burning Coruscant, and he saw what appeared to be a fully alive Darth Krayt battling a male blonde-haired bounty hunter that wielded a green lightsaber.

 

Before he could understand what was going on, he found himself being faced by his five dead masters, and he then fearfully asked each of them, “What’s going on? Is… Is this the future?”

 

“It is, indeed, Edaan.” Revan said to Edaan, which broke his heart, as he knew that the Sith would eventually take over the galaxy, and that the Shadow Alliance would fall. But, before he could say anything else, Revan then comfortingly said, “Do not fear, Edaan. Your efforts delayed the Sith’s conquest for seventy years, and gave the galaxy a much-needed respite from war. And, watch what happens to Cade Skywalker and Darth Krayt.” Baffled beyond belief at Revan’s revelation, he turned to listen, and he saw Cade kneeling on the ground before Krayt.

 

As Edaan then listened in, he could hear Cade speak of his own doubts and fears before he declared to the seemingly triumphant Darth Krayt that he was a Jedi, and he struck Krayt through the chest, killing him instantly, as Edaan could sense that Krayt was truly dead this time.

 

He was then transported to a ruined world that he did not recognize, but he saw an Imperial Knight standing over a one-eyed Sith Lord, and what Edaan heard could barely be comprehended: he heard the Sith Lord beg to be killed in order to avenge his family, and he was then blasted off of a cliff by a black-haired smuggler that carried an assault rifle. “Who is this?” Edaan then asked to one of the five Force Ghosts that were guiding him through these series of visions.

 

“That, Edaan, is my descendant, Ania Solo. She was the one who killed the last Sith in all of existence, Darth Wredd. This will take place one year after Darth Krayt is killed by Cade Skywalker.” Jacen Solo said with a smile of pride on his face as he spoke.

 

“Why am I being shown these visions?” Edaan numbly asked as he realized that he was merely meant to pave the way for the Sith’s eternal destruction, which gave him a sense of peace that he had not felt since he married Adari.

 

“Because, Edaan, you are dying, and you will soon leave this plane of existence.” Meetra calmly said as she motioned for Edaan to follow her and the others.

 

“I see.” Edaan sadly said as he realized that all of his friends would be heartbroken at his death, but knew that they were strong enough to eventually overcome their grief. “How long do I have?” Edaan then asked, hoping that he would have enough time to say goodbye to his loved ones.

 

“At most, ten minutes, Edaan. Which is why we come to tell you that you did well as a servant of the Light Side of the Force, and that it is time for us to leave your body.” Qui-Gon proudly said to his final student.

 

“Well, you got any final words of advice for your final student?” Edaan courteously said to his fading Jedi Masters.

 

“Tell your loved ones how much you love them, as you will never get another chance, my friend.” Tau simply said as he and the four other Force Ghosts faded from Edaan’s soul, and Edaan quickly founded himself awake and within the confines of a medical bay.

 

He then saw a 2-1B medical droid standing over him, and the droid startlingly said, “Oh, my. It appears that my latest patient is awake.”

 

“ **EDAAN!!!** ” Adari shrilled out as she immediately came above Edaan, and he could see the tears that were freely flowing from her eyes. “Oh, Edaan. Hang on, luv. We’re in orbit above Korriban, and we’ll be on a MedStar, in a little bit, and the doctors there will save you.” She then tenderly said, which broke Edaan’s heart, as he knew what he would say would devastate his wife.

 

“Adari... I’m so sorry, my love, but I’m afraid that I won’t last the hour. I’ve exhausted all of my energy, and I can feel my life force slipping away.” Edaan despondently said to his aghast spouse.

 

“No. No, don’t say that, Edaan. We’ll find a way to save you, just hold on a little longer.” Adari practically begged to her husband.

 

Oh, Adari, I love you so much. I am so sorry that I have to leave you. But you have to carry on and lead your people into the new galactic age. Now, I need you to get the others and bring them to me, as I need to tell them of my visions.” Edaan tenderly said to the love of his life.

 

Adari, realizing that Edaan did not have much time left, quickly followed her husband’s last wishes, and, after a matter of moments, he sensed Adari, Tau, Ben, and Vestara standing right next to him, and he sensed their despair coming from all of them in waves. Edaan then said, ”I am so sorry that I’m dying, but you must listen very closely, as I don’t have much time until I become One with the Force, and what I’m about to say is crucial to the galaxy’s survival. The galaxy must be vigilant, for the Sith will return one last time, and they will threaten everything that we hold dear. You must beware the one-eyed Sith, as he will decide whether the galaxy tips into Light or Darkness. Lastly, you must keep the Skywalker and Solo families alive, as they will be the shatterpoints for bringing a lasting peace to the galaxy. Tell the leaders of the Shadow Alliance of this, as they must be ready for when the final war comes. Do you understand?”

 

“Yes, Edaan.” Vestara tearfully said to the person who saved her from the Dark Side.

 

“Vestara, you and Ben need to promise me something.” Edaan said as he beagn to cough violently, which alarmed everyone. Soon enough, he stopped coughing, and he said, “You two need to promise me that you will be there for each other throughout the good times and the bad, and to help each other if one of you stumbles in your walk with the Light. Promise me.”

 

“I promise you, Edaan.” Ben said as tears of his own fell off of his face, and he held onto his wounded lover very tightly as he prepared himself for his former apprentice’s death.

 

“Good. I regret that I couldn’t see the wonderful family that you two will make together, and what great things that you will do for both the people of both Kesh and the galaxy.” Edaan solemnly said. He then turned to face Tau, and he said, “Tau, I need you to promise me that you will follow the Will of the Force, as I can sense that you have a great destiny in store for you. I also need you to look after my friends, as they will need your help in order to survive whatever comes next. Also, please keep my holocron safe, as I bestow it onto you. Record into it my final words, and… add to the knowledge for future generations of Jedi to learn from. Finally, I need you to forge your own path, as you don’t need to live in my, or our ancestor’s shadow.”

 

“You have my word, brother.” Tau said as he struggled to maintain his collected demeanor.

 

Edaan finally turned to Adari, and he gently said, “Adari. Oh, my love. My greatest regret is that I couldn’t get to form a family with you, or that we couldn’t make that house on Kesh like we wanted. But, I know that you will do great things for the rest of your life, and, one day, we will be reunited in the Force. I… I know that you will do what’s right.” Edaan said as he struggled to breathe, which tore at everyone’s hearts.

 

“Edaan, please don’t leave me.” Adari begged to her husband, even as she felt the last vestiges of his strength leave his body.

 

“I… know… that you all… will do… what’s… _right_ ….” Edaan whispered as his eyes shut for the final time, and he breathed his last, leaving four of his heartbroken loved ones alone with their grief. Then, something miraculous happened: Edaan’s body began to dissipate, and, after a few moments, his body became merged with the Force, and all that remained was his armor and cybernetics.

 

Knowing that they still had a job to do, Tau and Adari headed to the bridge to guide the ship into a MedStar, and, after Ben gave Vestara a passionate kiss, allowed a medical team to take Vestara in order to give her a prosthetic hand. Once the three remaining fighters left the _Dark Crusader_ , they saw the crew of the _Slave I_ look upon them with a sorrowful expression, which made them know that everyone knew that Edaan Palpatine was dead, and the Shadow Alliance was finished.

 

**Well, that ends the most sorrowful chapter of my final story. I hope that you enjoyed Edaan’s final words, as I put a lot of time into constructing them in my mind before I wrote this chapter. Oh, and I hope that you enjoyed the Gandalf reference in my story, as it felt like it was perfect for this chapter. So, what are you guys doing on this day, which is July 24, 2017? I recently got back from seeing _Dunkirk_ with my mother at a local movie theater, and it was riveting. I hope that all of you go see the movie, as it will not disappoint you all. Anyway, you don’t need to worry about my story ending for at least a month, as I still have more than a few loose ends to tie up. Well, I guess that this is it for this chapter. I just want all of you to know that Squasher looked it over in case anything could have been improved in this chapter. I hope that you enjoyed, as it took me around three days to write this heartbreaking chapter. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live The Expanded Universe!**


	30. Chapter 29

**Good afternoon, everyone! How are you doing on the hot day of July 25, 2017? I am doing great, as I’ve just showered after mowing my parents’ lawn, and I’ve found out that Powerslammer and his family are all right, as the fire didn’t affect their homes, and the culprit that started the fires has been caught, so you all can rest easy about that. Oh, and, as of today, my internship at my local thrift store is over, as, due to multiple factors, I had to leave the job there, which means that I only have one job left, which is my job at a local movie theater that I’ve had for a few months. It’s a real shame, but it was necessary, as I have my final semester at community college to attend in a few weeks, and I will be plenty busy then. So, when we last left off on my story, Darth Krayt and his One Sith order were defeated, but at a terrible cost, as Edaan Palpatine had given his life to pave the way for Cade Skywalker and Ania Solo to finish the job in the two _Star Wars: Legacy_ comics. Now that the climax of my story is over, it is time for the loose ends to be tied up, starting with the mass funeral of all of those that gave their lives to stop the One Sith. Fair warning, it will likely invoke many sorrowful emotions out of everyone, including myself. Just giving you guys a heads up. Well, I’d better get started, as I’ve got a very emotional chapter to write over the next few days, and it will take a while to write, as my brother is coming home today from a missions trip to South Africa. May the Force be with me. Actually, hold that thought, because, I think that in the next chapter, I can use X Ambassadors hit song, _Torches_ , in a way that a lot of you will see coming. Well, back to writing.**

**(6:13 PM Addendum.) Good evening, everyone. I just wanted to say that, as of over an hour ago, my brother came back from his missions trip, and has already started watching funny shows on one of our TVs. I hope that we can spend some time together before he goes back to college. Anyways, back to writing.**

_Three Weeks Later_

_0900 Hours_

_In the Jedi Temple of Shedu Maad_

_In the Temple’s Medbay_

 

Luke Skywalker was beyond tired right now, as the healers that were tirelessly working to try and save the former Jedi Grand Master from a slow death. He was prepared to return to his healing trance when the door to his room opened to reveal the forlorn forms of Artoo, Ben, Allana, Jaina, Vestara, Tau, and Adari, who slowly entered the room after getting permission from the room’s medic.

 

Knowing what they would say, Luke sadly said, “I know. Edaan died in order to kill Darth Krayt.”

 

The wound was still fresh in everyone’s minds, especially in Adari and Tau’s as the former broke down to cry for the fiftieth time in the last three weeks, and Tau just hugged her in order to provide her with support.

 

“He died on his own terms, and lived a good life by following the Will of the Force. I only regret that I couldn’t thank him for all that he did for me and Ben.” Vestara said as she gripped Ben’s hand with her right hand, which had been fitted with a prosthetic hand in order to replace the original one that Darth Krayt had severed from her during the final battle with the One Sith’s leader.

 

“I’m sure that he knew, Vestara.” Luke said before he continued, knowingly saying, “So, I imagine that the Jedi Council will soon judge you for your actions, so you and Ben are spending as much time together as you can before that happens.”

 

The two lovers then blushed at the remark, and Ben bashfully said, “Actually, Dad, there is one thing that we wanted to tell you. After you left Korriban for treatment, I proposed to Ves, and she accepted. Once the trial is over, we’re going to get married, and, if the Council wills it, we’ll start up a Jedi academy on Kesh in order to lead it alongside Seelah Verge, just like Edaan would have wanted from us.”

 

Luke could hardly contain his joy for the two lovers, as, after all of the wars and tragedies that each of them had endured, they deserved to give each other as much happiness as they could give each other. “Guys, that’s incredible!!!” Luke jubilantly said, which made Ben and Vestara blush furiously with embarrassment from the retired Jedi Master’s praises. Luke then began to cough violently, which left everyone scared, as they did not want to lose Luke for a little longer. After a few moments, he stopped coughing, and he took several deep breaths in order to regain his weakened strength.

 

“Don’t worry, guys. I won’t be going anywhere for a little while longer. I’ve still got to see your wedding, as I’m going to give away my son to a redeemed Grand Lady of the Sith.” Luke said with a hint of humor in his voice, which made Vestara roll her eyes in mock-annoyance, amusing everyone, even the two grieving Palpatines.

 

“Uncle Luke, are you sure that you’re up for the wedding? You haven’t been this wounded since the battle against Shimmra.” Jaina worriedly said for her uncle.

 

“Don’t worry, Jaina. I’m all right. I just want to see your Aunt Mara again.” Luke said with a sense of peace that he had not felt for nearly two decades.

 

“I know, Dad. We all miss her terribly.” Ben said in agreement with his father, before he felt four powerful presences in the Force approach the group, and, in a matter of moments, K’Kruhk, Kyle, Corran, and Saba appeared behind the six friends.

 

Corran was the first to break the silence, and sympathetically said, “Guys, I’m sorry, but, it’s time for the trial to begin. Let’s give Luke some time to rest, as I know that you guys can sense how exhausted he is.”

 

After Vestara looked at Luke with a sorrowful expression, he then said, “It’s all right, Vestara. Trust in the Force, and it will give you what you need.”

 

“Do me a favor, Master Skywalker. Just call me ‘Ves.’” Vestara gently said as Luke began to fall asleep from a sedative that was automatically administered to him.

 

“It’s a deal, Ves.” Luke quietly said as he fell asleep, and the seven friends followed the four Jedi Council members, who made their way to the Jedi Temple’s Chamber of Judgment, where the rest of the Jedi Council, minus the deceased Leia Organa Solo, was waiting for the accused to come to be judged from her crimes as a Sith, along with the members of the Shadow Alliance’s War Council as impartial bystanders.

 

As soon as Artoo, Jaina, Adari, Allana, Tau, and Ben left Vestara’s side, and the four Jedi Masters stood with the seven other Jedi Council members, and Kyle Katarn, as the Jedi Grand Master, and leader of the Jedi Order, said, “Vestara Khai. You stand accused of the charges of treason, murder, corporate espionage, and among numerous other related crimes, conspiracy to destroy the governments of the galaxy. How do you plead?”

 

“I plead guilty, Master Katarn.” Vestara honestly said to the assembled masters, and she continued, saying, “I offer no defense for what I have done, as my crimes are too horrific to count. I will abide by whatever verdict that the Council will decide, even if it is death. I only ask for one thing in return.”

 

“Oh, and what iz that, Vestara Khai?” Saba Sabatyne asked.

 

“That, if the Jedi Council decides to have me executed, then I ask that they withhold their punishment until after the birth of mine and Ben’s child.” Vestara simply said, which caused everyone’s jaws to practically fall from their mouths, even the usually stoic and collected Jaina, Kyle, Ephin, Formbi, and Saba, except Artoo, who warbled in a shrill tone in utter shock.

 

Ben simply stood up as he walked to Vestara, and numbly said, “Ves… You’re pregnant?” After receiving a simple nod from the nervous reformed Sith Lady, Ben grabbed her by her face and kissed her with all of the love that he could muster, and she immediately kissed him right back with equal passion.

 

After several moments of intimacy, the two lovers separated, and Ben then joyously said, “By the Force, I’m going to be a dad!” He then remembered that he was in a courtroom, and courteously said to the assembled Jedi Masters, “I am sorry for my outburst, masters, I was just unable to contain my joy at the turn of events.”

 

“It’s no worry, Master Skywalker. We more than understand how you must feel right now.” Octa Ramis numbly said through the shock that coursed through her body right now.

 

Ben then returned to his seat, and Kam Solusar then asked Vestara, “How long have you known that you were pregnant, Lady Khai?”

 

“Since this morning, Master Solusar. I was going to tell Ben before the trial, but I figured that it would be better for all of you to hear it, so that you wouldn’t think that I was trying to manipulate Ben. And, I would prefer if you just call me Ms. Khai, as only Ship called me ‘Lady Khai’, and I don’t want to be reminded of Ship after he killed Han and Leia Organa Solo.” Vestara honestly replied, which Kam nodded as a sign of appreciation for her truthfulness.

 

“Your honesty is appreciated, Vestara.” Corran graciously said, which Vestara nodded to in reply.

 

“Vestara, we have heard from many people within the Shadow Alliance about your defection during Edaan Palpatine’s infiltration of Korriban, and how you performed nobly during Operation: Endgame, and those actions speak highly of your character, and of your desire to atone for your sins, however numerous they are.” Kyp Durron said in praise of Vestara’s want to redeem herself, as he knew from personal experience the desire to atone for past sins. He then continued, sternly saying, “However, your crimes are too grave to ignore, as you’ve murdered several Jedi, a Galactic Alliance senator, and many other innocent people. That is why the Jedi Council, along with the respective governments that comprise the soon-to-defunct Shadow Alliance, have reached a verdict regarding your fate.”

 

“ **WAIT!!!** ” Tau interrupted before Kyp could deliver the Shadow Alliance’s verdict. He then continued, saying, “Fellow Jedi! Leaders of the Shadow Alliance, I beg of you, do not execute Vestara, as she can still do much good for the galaxy, just as Butch and I will.” He then thought of Butch, and how depressed he was that his master and first true friend, Edaan, was killed in destroying Darth Krayt, and how his spirits were slightly lifted by playing with the Jedi Younglings in the temple’s gardens. He then continued, saying, “Yes, Vestara’s crimes are numerous and grave, but sometimes, these types of situations need more compassion instead of cold justice, and I know that these are one of those times. Throughout her life, she was struggled against adversity and sorrow, and, thanks to Edaan and his perseverance, she has come to fully embrace the Light Side of the Force. It would be a mockery of justice to kill a soul who desires to redeem herself for her past transgressions. I beg this council to seek the hard path, and give Vestara a chance to continue to atone for her sins, as it is what Edaan would have wanted.” Tau then returned to his seat, and silently sat back down.

 

After the Jedi Council deliberated for five minutes over both Vestara’s revelation, and Tau’s passionate speech, Saba spoke again, saying, “Thiz one thankz you, Knight Palpatine, for that impassioned speech. However, you did not let the Council finish itz verdict, and thiz one thinks that you will be quite surprised with the rezultz. After examining all of the factz, and hearing from Commanderz Mirta Gev and Sabine Wren, Knight Palpatine, Knight Korr, Master X2, and several other witnesses to Vestara’s reconversion to the Light Side of the Force, the Council has decided to commute her sentence to twenty years of exile on her home planet of Kesh, training the Force Sensitives there to become Jedi, and protectors of not only Kesh, but the entire galaxy. However, due to the knowledge that Vestara is with child, the Council haz decided to allow you to remain on Shedu Maad until you give birth to yourz and Ben’z child. May the Force be with you, Jedi Knight Vestara Khai.” The Jedi Council then left the Chamber of Judgment, and the five friends or lovers of Vestara congratulated her on her survival, as well as her new teaching position.

 

“Well, Vestara, it looks like you and Ben got your happy ending. Congratulations.” Adari sincerely said to the older human.

 

“Well, it looks like the three of us will be working together in training the youth of Kesh in the Jedi Arts.” Vestara proudly said before she became nervous, and said to the widow of Edaan Palpatine, “This isn’t going to be a problem, is it, Adari?”

 

“No, Vestara, it won’t be. It wasn’t your fault that Edaan died, and he wouldn’t want me to hold a grudge against a person who risked their life for the greater good. I’ll admit that it might be awkward for a few years, but I’ll eventually get used to having you around.” Adari simply said before her expression turned serious, and she sadly said, “Well, we’d all better get ready for Edaan’s wake, as it starts in less than three hours.”

 

Upon hearing those words, everyone turned serious, and Ben said, “Well, I hope that Dad can come and say a few words on Edaan’s behalf, because I know that he’d want to be there for all of those that gave their lives to destroy the One Sith.”

 

Everyone nodded at that remark, and Tau then said, “Vestara? I think that you should say a few words on behalf of Edaan. After all, he did spend the better part of his life training in order to redeem you.”

 

After the shock of a former Sith Lady speaking before the assembled leaders of the galaxy, she said, “I don’t know. Do I deserve to speak after all of the pain that I inflicted on Edaan? I think that it would be better if you and Adari were to speak, as you knew him better than I did.”

 

“We know. That’s why the two of us, along with Ben, are going to speak about Edaan before you, so that you have an idea of what to say. But, most importantly, you need to let your heart guide you, and you won’t say anything that wouldn’t make him proud. We all have faith in you, Ves.” Tau said, using Vestara’s nickname in order to keep one of Edaan’s traditions alive.

 

After seeing the looks on her five friends, Vestara relented, sighed in defeat, and said, “Fine, I’ll do it. But, if I unwittingly insult Edaan’s memory during my talk, just remember that I’ll blame you guys for convincing me to do this.” After the chuckles of the others died down, everyone left to prepare for the memorial service that would occur at 1200 Hours.

 

_1155 Hours_

_In the Jedi Temple’s Gardens_

 

Galactic Alliance Chief of State Wynn Dorvan, and his wife, Chief of Staff Desha Lor, could hardly believe where they were right now, which was within fifty feet of Boba Fett and his entourage of Mandalorian bounty hunters, which comprised of his ex-wife Sintas Vel, his granddaughter, Mirta Gev, Mirta’s husband, Ghes Orade, Mirta and Ghes’s children, Ralo and Bria Orade, Boba’s second-in-command, Goran Beviin, clan leader Venku Skirata, and the sole remaining Null ARC Trooper, Jaing Skirata. All of them were in full Mandalorian uniform to honor the deaths of both their fellow Mandalorians and Edaan Palpatine during their civil war and the war against Darth Krayt.

 

The two galactic leaders, along with Jedi Master Kam Solusar were discussing the losses that each of their respective galactic power had suffered from the One Sith’s schemes, as well as reparations that the Galactic Alliance would give to the Mandalorians for their role in stopping Darth Krayt. Once the agreement was made, Wynn steered the conversation to an equally serious topic, and said, “So, Jaing, Goran, Master Solusar, I heard that you three, along with the Jedi and archeologists that I assigned to your strike team, managed to uncover the Sith shrine buried deep beneath the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Tell me, how long do you expect to spend on removing the Dark Side taint, along with the Sith’s artifacts, from the area, as I imagine that many people would want the Jedi to return to Coruscant, now that the Galactic Alliance Neutrality Act has been repealed and the One Sith have been destroyed?”

 

“Not for at least another decade, Chief Dorvan, because it will take us years to fully understand how the shrine functions, and several more years to dismantle it, after our mutual historians analyze the artifacts and hieroglyphics that exist within the shrine.” Kam said before he continued, saying, “Besides, I imagine that Coruscant still has a great deal of reconstruction to do after Abeloth’s rampage, and the Jedi can help lead humanitarian efforts in those hotspots.”

 

“I think that that can be arranged, Master Solusar.” Wynn said before he saw several children from the ranks of the various Shadow Alliance forces, which included Jedi, Mandalorians, Galactic Alliance, Confederation, and Hapan, playing together, which made him and everyone else, even the battle-hardened Boba Fett, smile at the kids getting along. He then said, “It’s hard to believe that, after so many years of bloodshed and chaos, a Palpatine was able to unite the entire galaxy into a new era of peace. I’ve even heard that the Confederation is talking about returning to the Galactic Alliance, and that the Chiss Ascendancy is opening its borders for trade. Not to mention all of the converts that the Jedi Order has from Krayt’s former allies.”

 

“Let’s just hope that we can keep it.” Goran forebodingly said, remembering the last words that Edaan said to Tau, Vestara, Adari, and Ben before he died.

 

“Agreed. But, for now let’s just enjoy the time we have before our duties require our attentions again.” Sintas sagely said, which every leader wholeheartedly agreed with before they saw the coffins that contained the bodies of the eighty-seven Jedi and Imperial Knights that fell in battle on Korriban, followed by the coffins of Han and Leia Organa Solo, and the remains of Edaan Palpatine, minus his lightsaber, as Tau had requested that he use it to honor Edaan’s memory of protecting and bringing justice and peace to the galaxy. Luke Skywalker then appeared in a hoverchair, followed by Ben Skywalker, Vestara Khai, Tau and Adari Thayn Palpatine, the Tuk’ata hound Butch, and Edaan’s remaining original companions, which were R2-D2, Akku Sei II, Atai Molec, and Jarael Chantique. Everyone stopped talking as the funeral began, and the bodies of the Force Sensitives were brought to the middle of the garden, where a large fire was raging within a stone wall.

 

Luke was the first person to speak, and, as he used the Force to amplify his voice, he said, “Friends. Comrades. Allies. We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of many of our loved ones, as well as honor the sacrifices that over sixty thousand of our friends within the Shadow Alliance made in order to destroy Darth Krayt and the One Sith, and bring peace to the galaxy. These brave souls, who each came from different walks of life, devoted their lives toward a greater good, and strove to make the galaxy a better place for everyone, regardless of their political or religious views. As we commemorate our fallen friends, we must never forget what they sacrificed so much for, as well as to always remain vigilant, as the threat of war will always lurk around the corner.”

 

Luke then took a deep breath in order to refill his lungs, as well as to gather his thoughts for his next set of words. Once he was sure of what he was going to say, he allowed unshed tears to fall from his eyes, and he said, “As you all know, many of us lost loved ones in one way or another due to this war, myself included. But, I know that our loved ones would want us to carry on in order to honor the memory of those that gave it all to protect us. They gave their lives not just for an abstract greater good, but for the people that meant the most to them, and that alone makes them heroes, for few beings can do such noble deeds. I know, from personal experience, that they are proud of each and every one of you for your perseverance, dedication, loyalty towards one another, and honor in the face of overwhelming odds. As we say a final goodbye to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, let us take a moment to remember the best of each of our loved ones, and vow to always honor their memories. Thank you. And, regardless if you believe or not, may the Force be with us all.”

 

Luke then departed the front of the area, and, immediately afterwards, the coffins for each of the Force Sensitives that gave their lives on and above Korriban, minus Edaan Palpatine and Han and Leia Organa Solo, were moved via the Force into the flame, and the flames slowly consumed the bodies while everyone maintained silence in respect for the ultimate sacrifice that they gave the galaxy.

 

Once the flames returned to normal, Jaina Solo Fel, accompanied by her husband and son, Jagged and Chak Fel, respectively, made their way to the front of the crowd, and, for ten minutes, she spoke fondly about her parents, remembering the most precious moments that she had with them when she was a child, as well as the lessons that they imparted onto her.

 

Once Jaina was done speaking, and the Fels left the front of the area, Tenel Ka and Allana took their place, and they spoke of how Han and Leia were there for both of them when Jacen became Darth Caedus, and was killed by Jaina, and how Allana went on many adventures with them before she became a Jedi Knight. After another ten minutes, they left the area, and the coffins that contained Han and Leia’s remains were cremated, and the relatives of the Solos quietly wept at their bodies being immolated by flame.

 

The coffin that held Edaan’s cybernetic remains was then moved right next to the flames, and Ben, Tau, and Butch went up to speak of Edaan. Ben spoke of many of their adventures together while he was his apprentice, and how stubborn and determined that he could be. Tau then spoke of how Edaan inspired unwavering loyalty in others, and how he was one of the bravest beings to ever live.

 

After the two of them spent eighteen minutes talking of Edaan, he left the front of the crowd, and Vestara and Adari went up to be the final speakers in this memorial.

 

“When I met Edaan, he was a sixteen year-old Jedi Apprentice, hell-bent on saving Vestara here, and he was so sure of himself, I thought that he was arrogant. It took his loyalty towards a righteous cause, as well as his faith in others, to win me and my fellow rebels over, as well as steal my heart. After that, I never left Edaan’s side, even when he deserted the Jedi Order to redeem a woman that no one, not even Ben Skywalker here, believed that she could be redeemed. And he proved everyone wrong, even me, by saving Vestara Khai from her own darkness, and uniting the entire galaxy against the One Sith and their minions. And he did it without losing or compromising his ideals or soul, which makes him the best Jedi that I ever had the privilege of working with. But, most importantly, he ruined me for any other man, which means that I will never again marry, and will await the day that we are reunited in the Netherworld of the Force. Thank you.” Adari tearfully said before she allowed Vestara to be the last person to speak.

 

“When I first met Edaan, he was just a scared little boy, afraid of the gifts that would make him the man that he was before he died three weeks ago. But, before I returned to the Dark Side, I gave him the words that he needed to keep going, and allowed him to make contact with his five greatest masters, the Jedi known as Tau, Revan, Meetra Surik, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Jacen Solo, where he learned everything that he needed to know about becoming a leader, friend, and Jedi. He steadily rose through the ranks of the Jedi Order, and made his plans, until he knew that he had to go out on his own in order to save the galaxy and me from eternal darkness. He was a brilliant strategist, and the most determined and loyal Jedi that I ever met, even more so than my betrothed, Ben, here.” Vestara said, which elicited a series of chuckles from most of the audience, before she continued, saying, “ Edaan made many friends and enemies with his unique personality, and I know that he would be proud to see all of us here, preparing to finish his job of helping unify and heal a war-torn and divided galaxy, even without his Shadow Alliance. I also know that we will all do amazing things together in order to honor Edaan’s memories. I thank you all for your time, and I pray that the Force will be with us in this uncertain time.”

 

With that said, everyone applauded Adari and Vestara’s speeches, and the two women left their locations in order to stand with Luke, Ben, the Fels, Tenel Ka, Allana, Armand Vorn, and the rest of Edaan’s companions. Finally, Edaan’s remains were burnt to ashes in the roaring flames, and everyone bowed their heads in respect for their leader and friend.

 

Soon enough, Tau, Adari, and Armand approached Luke, and Tau said, “Luke, I hate to ask this of you, but we have a request to make of you. Adari and I would like to see Aphra while Armand speaks with his mother before they’re shipped off to Coruscant for their trials in a few hours, as we’ve got some personal demons to deal with before they go.”

 

After giving Tau an appraising glare, Luke relented, saying, “Very well. Once everyone leaves to prepare for the wedding tomorrow, I’ll have the Council grant you permission to see them. Just promise me one thing. Promise me that you’ll not lose yourselves to vengeance, as I know how strong the temptation might be.”

 

“Deal.” Adari gratefully said to the former Jedi Grand Master, and the four fighters then went to mingle with the mourners, as the many gatherers continued to speak for several hours. Afterwards, Tau, Adari, and Armand went to face their personal demons in the form of two brilliant but demented women.

 

**And, that’s a wrap on another great chapter of _Star Wars: Jedi Odyssey: Shadow War IV: Omega_. Now, before anyone says anything, I only had the speeches of Adari and Vestara because I didn’t want to get too bogged down in dialogue. So, what did you think of the revelations in this chapter, regarding Vestara’s pregnancy, to Ben and Ves’s impending marriage in the next chapter, the funerals of the fallen heroes, and the inevitable confrontations with Cheli Lona Aphra and Natasi Daala? I hope that you enjoyed, as there are still many surprises left in this story, even though there’s likely only a few chapters left in this story, and it’s not going to be as long as my last story. Well, how are you doing on the evening of July 26, 2017? I am well, as I am almost done with _The Generals: Patton, MacArthur, Marshall, and the Winning of World War II_ , by Winston Groom, and I should be done with it by tomorrow. Oh, and I plan to continue writing tomorrow, as I want to keep up writing good Star Wars Expanded Universe stories for as long as I can. Well, I guess that that’s it for today. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	31. Chapter 30

**Good afternoon, everybody. How are you doing on the warm day of July 27, 2017? I am well, as I went to my local gym and worked out on an elliptical for sixty-five minutes, which made me sweat a great deal. So, are you guys excited for one of the last chapters of my brilliant tribute to the true Expanded Universe, because I sure am, as we’ve reached the main reason as to why I began this series to begin with? Anyway, this chapter will likely involve a bit of swearing on behalf of Adari, Armand, and Tau, so, just a bit of a heads up. Well, I’ve got nothing else to talk about for now, so I’d better get to work. May the Force be with me.**

**(4:27 P.M. Addendum.) Hello, my friends. I just wanted to tell you that I will involve a certain leader in the confrontation between Natasi Daala and the heroes, and I will give you one hint as to who it is: It’s an old friend of hers. Just something to think about. I’ll see you later.**

**(July 28, 2017 Addendum.) Good afternoon, everybody. How are you doing today? I am stellar, as I got two more good books from my local help center, and, more importantly, Powerslammer, after over three weeks of worry, updated his greatest story yet, Rajmael of Clan Lavellan, and it has me chomping at the bit for his next chapter, which will ne released next week. Anyway, have a good day, and I hope to update this story by tonight. May the Force be with us all.**

_1700 Hours_

_Within the Detention Block of the Jedi Academy_

As the last two surviving Palpatines and Armand Vorn made their way to the cell that contained their most hated enemies, Armand said, “So, do you guys want me there when you face Aphra, or should I confront my mother instead?”

 

“We’d like you there, Armand, as you were one of Edaan’s closest friends, and we could use someone to drag me out of there if I try to beat up an old woman.” Tau said in a deadpanned tone as he approached the cell where the two prime architects of his creation awaited him.

 

He then took a deep breath in order to steady his nerves, but it did little. Adari, sensing Tau’s nervousness, said, “Don’t worry, Tau. We’ll be by your side every step of the way. You aren’t alone in this battle.” Tau gave the Keshiri Palpatine a warm smile of gratitude, and he then used the Force to open the door, revealing a forlorn Chelli Lona Aphra sitting in her cell, merely reading the contents of a datapad that was given to her by a sympathetic guard, who was properly disciplined once he understood just how dangerous this woman was.

 

Once Aphra saw the three guests, she sarcastically said, “Oh, great. It’s the execution squad. Where’s Edaan? I thought that he would be the one who did me in, given what I did to him?”

 

“You mean that you don’t know?” Tau growled out as his hands unconsciously curled into fists, and he said, “Edaan’s dead, you miserable wretch. He died taking out Darth Krayt and ending your master’s mad plans for conquest.”

 

Aphra’s eyes bulged out in shock, as she could hardly believe that the man who had destroyed BT-1, and captured 0-0-0, which led to the latter’s disassembly and eventual destruction, had managed to defeat Darth Krayt at the cost of his own life. Suddenly, without explanation, a surge of guilt came over her, and she said, “Sorry to hear that. He was a decent man, despite being a Jedi.”

 

“A ‘decent man?’ He was the best among the galaxy of men and Jedi, Aphra, and you and Nala Se nearly turned him into a monster. Do you have any idea how much he suffered at the hands of the Sith during his time as their captive? No, of course not, because you were too engrossed in your work to see the harm that you were causing, just like always.” Adari said, her anger beginning to rise at this old woman.

 

“’Just like always?’ What’s that supposed to mean?” Aphra irritatingly said as she rose from her bed in order to stand at even level with the Keshiri widow.

 

“You think that I’m just a fighter, Aphra? Artoo told me all about your time as a Sith lackey under Darth Vader, and how you always sought the quick and easy path in getting rich, regardless of the harm to others, as evidenced by your selling of the consciousness of the Fake Rur, despite your father’s wishes to the contrary. You even allowed those two murderbots to kill so many people in order to feed their mad habits, it sickens me beyond description. And that wasn’t even the worst of it. You willingly took part in the experimentation of children in order to turn them into weapons of Krayt’s will, robbing them of any other path in life! ” Adari said, her voice growing angrier and angrier with every moment, with Tau and Armand saying nothing, knowing that her anger was justified.

 

“Oh, please. They would have just been puppets of the never-ending Jedi/Sith wars, regardless of what side they were on. At least I let them die at their best, unlike you Jedi, who hold people back with your pathetic Jedi Code. And besides, your hands aren’t bloodless, either. You got Black Krrsantan killed by your capture of him, and he was one of my only true friends left in this galaxy.”

 

“Wrong again, Aphra. He died by his own hand instead of being a prisoner, and he died with what little honor he had left, which is more than I can say for you. We all know the traumas that you experienced growing up, which all of us can sympathize with, but that’s no excuse for what you’ve done to innocent children. If it were up to the three of us, we’d probably have you killed right now.” Armand venomously countered to the lunatic archeologist. He then continued, calmly saying, “But, fortunately, it isn’t up to us. It will be up to the Shadow Alliance to decide the fate of you and your compatriots, which I know will be death, as you all deserve it ten times over. And, more importantly, it isn’t what Edaan and all those that died would have wanted of us.”

 

After chuckling as if she has won a victory, Aphra said, “And that’s what makes you three weak. You’re always taking the high road, which only leads to more pain and suffering.”

 

Right after Aphra stopped taking, Adari threw an uppercut at the old woman in order to knock her out, which made her smirk as she said, “You know, Aphra, you’re right. Sometimes, it’s more fun to be a little bad.” She then saw the incredulous looks on Tau and Armand, and she said in defense of her actions, “Oh, come on. It’s not like you guys didn’t want to do it. Now, we’ve got a mad mother to visit, as I imagine that Armand here want to unleash some anger out on her.”

 

Upon hearing his own name, Armand became tense, and grimly said, “Oh, yes. I’ve got a few choice words for her before the wedding tomorrow.” With that said, the three friends told the guards to send a medic, as well as a couple of guards as a precaution, and then made their way to Daala’s cell.

 

They quickly found a seething Natasi Daala, who had a look of incredulity painted on her face as she saw Armand take the lead in entering the room, and he then said, “Hello, mother.”

 

“You are no son of mine, Armand. The man that I raised was taught to be a warrior and lawgiver, not a panderer to the Jedi and their minions.” Daala growled out, which greatly saddened Armand, as he had held onto a faint hope that time in prison could change her just as it had many other convicts.

 

“You did teach me those things, mother.” Armand said in acknowledgment before he continued, saying, “That’s why I helped Edaan and the Shadow Alliance stop you and Roly Melusar, as your rule would have brought more pain and suffering to a broken galaxy that has, only now, begun to put itself back together. You would have tried to enslave or massacre anyone who would have opposed you, just as you tried to do to the Force Sensitives of the galaxy for no crime other than being born with incredible gifts.”

 

“Those accursed Force Sensitives deserved it and so much more. They’ve been the cause or escalation of every major war in existence, ranging from the Rakata’s conquests of the galaxy, all the way to the war that your weak Shadow Alliance barely managed to win. And they’ll continue to be the cause of wars until someone finishes what my Neo Death Watch started.” Daala seethed out, which disgusted Tau and Adari, as they had not expected such venom from her, while Armand merely sighed in sadness.

 

“This isn’t what Liegus would have wanted, mother. Don’t you remember how happy all of us were before he was murdered by the Moffs? I do, and those were the happiest years of your life. There was no desire for revenge of bloodshed, just a desire to live in peace. Well, now everyone has that opportunity because of the sacrifices that Edaan and so many others made. The entire galaxy has become united now in the struggle for peace, and we’ve won! Isn’t that worth more than petty scores that you and Roly would have settled?”

 

“‘Petty scores.’ Oh, Armand, you will never understand. The galaxy revolves around conflict and war, and only a strong hand will be able to keep it from falling apart, and the wretched Jedi and their governments will never be able to do what needs to be done. I only wish that Roly and I would be around to witness your Shadow Alliance’s destruction. Now go away! I have no further things to talk about with any of you.” Daala scathingly said, which irked Tau that she had never lost her arrogant attitude, even in the face of death.

 

“Oh, but I have things to talk about with you, Natasi Daala” Tau growled out, before he continued to speak, saying, “Do you know who I am?”

 

“Yes. You’re a wretched clone of the most pathetic Jedi that I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting. I fail to see what grudge you have against me.” Daala arrogantly said, which further angered the young Jedi.

 

However, before he could speak, Tau was interrupted by an old voice that could silence even the most pompous of people. “He is Tau Palpatine, brother of Edaan Palpatine. And he knows more about honor and loyalty than you ever knew, and that’s coming from a grizzled Mandalorian like me.” Everyone turned to see a silver-haired Boba Fett that was holding his helmet in his hands as he came into everyone’s view, which immensely shocked everyone present, especially Daala, who did not expect her former friend to come down here and talk in defense of a Sith creation.

 

“Fett? What are you doing down here? And, why in the name of all that is good and decent in the galaxy are you defending this Sith spawn?!?” Daala incredulously said to her former ally.

 

“I’m defending Tau, Daala, because, like his late brother, he is a friend of the Mandalorian people, which is more than I can say for you, you miserable _di’kut_.” Boba angrily said, before he continued, saying, “You betrayed my trust and waged war on my people, your former allies, all for your vanity, which is a mistake that will cost you your life, because your demented experiments have enraged the galaxy, and they’ll see you dead before you escape to create yet another senseless conflict.”

 

“’Senseless conflict?’” Daala horrifically said, shocked at how much Edaan had changed him since they had last seen each other. “Fett, everything that I did was for the greater good. Force Sensitives are a blight upon the entire galaxy, dividing the galaxy between Light and Dark, and they all deserve death for their wars. You once thought the same thing, Fett, before that Palpatine poisoned your mind.” Daala implored her former associate, referring to their conversation after the murder of the Imperial Remant’s former leader, Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon’s.

 

“No, Natasi. Edaan helped me see that not all Force Sensitives, not even all Jedi, are alike. And, if there were even ten righteous souls like Edaan in the galaxy, I would give everything to protect them, just as I’ve given it all to protect my people. Yes, I still bare a grudge against Windu and the Jedi of old for what they did to my father and the True Mandalorians, but they paid the price for their arrogance with their deaths, and hating them forever will only weigh me down. Besides, my people don’t need constant war in the galaxy in order to thrive. As Torian Cadera once said, ‘There are enough hunts out there without war.’”

 

After a moment of utter shock, Daala venomously said, “You’ve lost your mind, Fett. Once, I regretted all of the deaths that I caused your people during my war against you, but now I see that my war was just! I only hope that someone will take up where I left off, and purify the galaxy with fire and blood.”

 

“They’ll have to get past us first, you _schutta_. And we will be vigilant for any trouble, because there’s one last war to fight before we experience a peace like no other.” Tau calmly said before the four warriors left the demented leader alone to her thoughts.

 

Before they left the cellblock, they heard Daala shout, “YOU’LL SEE!! YOUR ‘PEACE’ WILL BURN IN FLAME AND BLOOD ONE DAY, AND YOUR VAUNTED FORCE WON’T BE ENOUGH TO SAVE YOU ALL!!!”

 

Daala then began to laugh maniacally, which made Tau retort, “Oh, save us all the trouble and kill yourself, you old lunatic!” After that, she stopped laughing and returned to her brooding.

 

Once Tau and the others left the cellblock, the Iteration said, “Fett, thanks for having our backs. I still can’t believe that the _Mand’alor_ is an ally of the Jedi Order.”

 

“Don’t read too much into it, Tau. I just wanted to make sure that you didn’t kill that bitch before she got her just desserts.” Boba dismissively said before he said, “So, we’d better get ready for the wedding that’s tomorrow, as I can’t wait to show you all just how we Mandalorians celebrate a wedding.”

 

“What? With drinks and a lot of fighting?” Armand humorously said to Boba as the latter rolled his eyes in amusement at the Vorn’s antics, while Tau and Adari laughed at the bickering between the two leaders.

 

_The Next Day_

_1100 Hours_

 

Vestara Khai could hardly believe what was about to happen to her. She, after thirteen years of agonizing heartbreak and pain, was finally getting married to the love of her life, Ben Skywalker. Even more exciting and nerve wracking, was that she would, in around nine months, would give birth to hers and Ben’s first child, who she would love with all of her heart. She was so excited that she didn’t see Luke, Adari, and Mirta come in, the former in a Jedi Master’s robe as the father who would give away Vestara, while Adari wore a traditional Keshiri wedding dress as a bridesmaid, and Mirta was in her newly polished sandy-gold Mandalorian armor as the second bridesmaid. All three comrades wore eager grins on their faces as they approached Vestara, who, only now, noticed their arrival, and turned around to face them with her pure white wedding gown, which happened to be the same one that Mara Jade wore when she married Luke thirty-seven years ago.

 

“Well, guys? How do I look?” Vestara nervously said as she showed herself to her three friends.

 

“I’d bet fifty credits that Ben would have an aneurysm if he saw you in that outfit.” Mirta said, which made Vestara, Adari, and Luke laugh at the joke.

 

“I’m almost tempted to take that bet, Mirta.” Vestara said after she calmed down from her laughter, and became nervous, and said to Luke, “Well, this is it. I’m going to marry your son. Got any last-minute advice for your future daughter-in-law?”

 

“Just be true to yourself, and follow the Light Side of the Force, and everything will work out. Oh, and be patient with each other, as I know how each of you can be a handful to each other on occasions.” Luke earnestly said to Vestara, and those words calmed her racing heart considerably.

 

“Thanks, father.” Vestara gratefully said, which touched Luke’s heart, and, once Vestara held her crystal that would be unified with Ben’s, the four friends then made their way to the garden, where everyone quickly quieted down upon seeing the three warriors.

 

Ben could hardly believe what he was seeing. His one true love, Vestara Khai, was dressed to resemble an actual angel, and she looked more at peace then ever before. It made his heart all but explode, and he fought the urge to drop his jaw at the beauty of his soon-to-be bride. Vestara, through their Force Bond, mentally said, _Oh, don’t worry, Skywalker. You’ll have plenty of time to admire my body tonight, just as I will admire yours._ Those words were nearly enough to make him lose all self-control, and he only restrained himself when Tau placed a hand on his shoulder, and wore an amused grin on his face as he shook his head at Ben’s lustful thoughts.

 

Once the wedding music started, Luke, Adari, and Mirta followed Vestara as she slowly walked down the wedding aisle, and Vestara eventually made her way to where Ben was standing, and, once the wedding band stopped playing their instruments, Tionne Solusar raised her hands, and said, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Jedi Master Ben Skywalker, and Jedi Knight Vestara Khai. These two lovers have surpassed anyone’s expectations by following their hearts, and have come to this crucial point of their lives that which they pledge themselves to love, cherish, and protect one another until one of them becomes One with the Force. It was once thought that a Jedi and a Sith could never fall in love with each other, but, for the third time in recorded history, that prejudice has been proven false. These two fit together so perfectly, so completely, that their love for each other has surpassed all barriers, and their love for each other will only grow as time moves on.”

 

“When I first met Ben, I thought that he was an insufferable Jedi. Only once I got to know him, and the heroic man that I saw that he was becoming, that I fell head over heels in love with him. I only regret that it took us so long to wed.” Vestara said as she raised her crystal to her position.

 

“And when I first met Ves, I could only see the treacherous Sith that she was raised to be. I failed to see what she could be, and, only through the efforts of my former apprentice, we now stand on the threshold of a new beginning. I only hope that she can be patient with me and my ridiculous jokes, as I have a whole quiver of them.” Ben bashfully said as a series of chuckles echoed throughout the garden, and he raised his crystal to his position, and the two began to merge together into one, and, after a moment, the two became one, symbolizing the two lovers’ union as husband and wife.

 

“Let no one here doubt the wisdom of the Force. May the Force be with you two, and your family, throughout all of your lives. You may now kiss.” Tionne declared, and Ben and Vestara finally let loose all of their pent-up feelings of lust and love, and kissed each other with all of the passion that they could muster. While they engaged in passionate lip contact, the Shadow Alliance troopers that were assigned to the wedding fired their blaster rifles in a unified salute to honor the two newlyweds’ sacrifices to the galaxy.

 

_Four Hours Later_

 

The two newlyweds were mingling with the guests, sharing in the festivities that were being done in their name while the Mandalorians and Jedi were having all of the ale bottles loose at once, allowing the ale to fly out of the bottles in reminiscent of a rainbow, and several members of each organization were engaged in a drinking contest, with Akku Sei II holding a steady lead. Even Boba Fett was having a steady conversation with Luke, which amazed everyone, and proved how Edaan succeeded in uniting the galaxy for peace.

 

As Ben and Vestara spoke with Edaan’s remaining crewmates, they sensed Jaina approach them with a serious look on her face, which made the couple very nervous, as they knew how stern she could be. Vestara decided to break the ice, and said, “Hey, Jaina. Are you enjoying the party? You’ve got to try the bantha steak. It’s delicious!”

 

“The party’s excellent. And, yes, I know how amazing bantha steak is.” Jaina said in agreement of Vestara’s words. She then said, “I hope that the two of you can give each other a degree of peace, as we have a lot of work cut out for us in fixing the galaxy.”

 

“Don’t worry, Jaina. We’ll be doing our part on training more of the next generation of Jedi on Kesh. I just wish that I could show Ves some of the sites of the galaxy, but Kesh is enough for now.” Ben reassuringly said to his cousin.

 

“Well, may the Force be with you two, because we won’t be able to see each other for a long time.” Jaina gravely said before she turned to face Vestara and said, “Vestara. Promise me one thing.”

 

“Anything, Jaina.” Vestara said in complete seriousness, as she wanted to prove to the skeptical Imperial Knight that her love for Ben, and her reconversion to the Light Side, was genuine.

 

“Look after Ben, as he’ll need you once Uncle Luke is gone.” Jaina said, which Vestara quickly nodded to. Pleased that her faith in Vestara would be rewarded, she mischievously said, “I hope that you two enjoy the party, because you’ll never get another one like it.” She then left to allow the two lovers a chance to share a look full of carnal want, and they quickly made their way to the Second Chance, where Adari, Tau, and Artoo were waiting for them.

 

“Man. It’s about time that you guys showed up. Hurry! I don’t want anyone to notice that we’re gone, as I don’t want anyone to know that we had any part in this.” Tau annoyingly said as he opened the ramp to his CEC YT-1300 Light Freighter.

 

“I’m so happy for you guys.” Adari tearfully said as she gave both Ben and Vestara a hug, and the two newlyweds quickly made their way onto the ship and into the captain’s bed, where they prepared to make love for the first time in their marriage.

 

However, before they could commence as they had during their previous sex sessions, they had a sacred bond of trust to create first, in accordance with Kesh’s customs.

 

They quickly sat on the bed, and stared intently into each other’s eyes as Vestara said, “Who is the most important person in your life?”

 

“You are.” Ben honestly said.

 

“And who will you spend the rest of your life with?”

 

“You.”

 

After taking a minute to bask in the attention that was coming her way, she nodded her assent and said, “Proceed.” Immediately afterwards, Ben removed the headpiece that was in Vestara’s hair, and they slowly undressed each other, and made love with a sense of peace that neither had experienced before.

 

However, for a brief moment, both lovers saw the specter of Edaan staring at them with a warm smile on his face as he said, “Well done, my friends. May you two give each other as much happiness as Adari and I gave each other, as I know that you two will love each other until the end of time.” With that said, he disappeared, and the two lovers took a moment to thank Edaan for never giving up on them, and they resumed their ministrations to each other for hours to come in order to celebrate their marriage and impending parentage.

 

**Well, that ends another romantic chapter of my story. This is one of the few remaining chapters of my story, and, once that happens, I’m done, as there’s nothing else that I want to write about. So, tell me what you guys thought of this chapter, as I value your input. Well, I guess that I’d better sign off, as I’ve got a few things to take care of on the night of July 28, 2017. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	32. Chapter 31

**Good Morning, all of my friends and fellow Star Wars Expanded Universe devourers. How are you doing on this warm day of July 29, 2017? I am well, as I just had a delicious lunch, and am ready to write one of the last chapters of my story. Fair warning, it will be full of dark, sad, and happy developments, so be prepared for a whole lot of emotions that will come pouring out of all of you. Oh, and, before I forget, as of last night, I finished _The Generals: Patton, MacArthur, Marshall, and the Winning of World War II_ , by Winston Groom, and I greatly enjoyed the portrayal of three of the greatest generals, leaders, and patriots that the United States of America had ever produced. This is just my opinion, you might feel differently, and that is okay, as the world revolves around our differences, as long as we can get along. Anyway, time to write, as I hope to finish this story before I go back to community college. May the Force be with us all in these dark times.**

_Three Months Later_

_Within the Horuset System_

_Deep Beneath the Surface of Korriban_

Darth Krayt, formerly known as the legendary Jedi Master A’Sharad Hett, son of the even more revered Jedi Knight Sharad Hett, could feel every bone in his body creak from both his extensive wounds, as well as the immense fatigue that permeated his entire being.

 

He could hardly believe what had become of him and his once-strong One Sith order: They had been destroyed by an alliance of all of the major galactic powers, and that alliance was the scion of the Palpatine name, a family that should have been blacklisted since Darth Sidious’s failed attempt to rule the galaxy. As far as Krayt knew, he was the last surviving Sith Lord of his formerly twenty-five hundred-strong order, which broke his heart, as he gave everything into creating a new galactic order. And, to add insult to injury, both of his hands had lost a good portion of their flesh, making them all but useless. He could still feel the pain that he experienced from Edaan destroying his lightsabers.

 

Even more painful was the fall that he had experienced once Edaan unleashed all of his Force energies into one unstoppable Force Push, which made Krayt fall into an all-but bottomless chasm, and only survived by using the Force to slow his fall and escape the chasm through a side entrance that he had constructed into his backup citadel, which was much smaller than the original citadel, but had all of the facilities that Krayt needed to recover from his wounds.

 

As the medical droids continued to graft flesh and skin onto Kryat’s damaged hands, the proximity alarm went off, and Krayt, fearful that the Jedi and the Shadow Alliance had found his secret hideout, then said, “Identify the intruders at once!”

 

“Yes, my lord.” One of the medical droids said, and, after communicating with a security droid for a minutes, he then said, “Oh, my. It appears that Lady Sorzus survived the Harbinger’s destruction, along with the ship’s entire Sith complement of one hundred Sith Lords, and fifty Sith children.”

 

Krayt, shocked beyond belief that he was not the only surviving Sith, joyously said, “Well, then open the gates at once, and allow my brothers and sisters within the citadel so that they can get some much-needed rest, as well as a bunch of food in their bellies.”

 

“At once, master.” The medical droid obediently said to his master, and, soon enough, the Chagrian female came to see her master.

 

After getting over the shock of seeing her lord in such a wounded state, she graciously said, “My lord, it is good to see that you survived the battle with Edaan Palpatine.”

 

“By the skin of my teeth, Sorzus. Edaan proved himself to be the superior fighter in our final battle.” Krayt admitted before he said, “But, at least he’s dead, and his accursed Shadow Alliance has now returned to their original governments. And, all of our loose ends are tied up, as Natasi Daala, Chelli Lona Aphra, and all of our former allies are dead at the galaxy’s hands, so now no one can jeopardize our order’s survival. And, my remaining agents have kept their covers alive, so we can still strike back once the time is right. We will rebuild, and be patient, waiting until the galaxy is vulnerable again, and we will break the galaxy, and rebuild it until it is in our image. Now then, how did you and the rest of the _Harbinger_ ’s complement manage to survive the ship’s destruction?”

 

“We knew that we couldn’t escape the Horuset System, my lord, so we decided to fake our own deaths by causing the cruiser to self-destruct, and we used the falling debris to hide on the planet’s surface until the Shadow Alliacne departed the planet. Unfortunately, all of the other Sith decided to fight to the death, depriving us of several hundred Sith from which we could rebuild our ranks. From there, we gathered all of our essentials and artifacts, and I led our fellow Sith down one of our passageways, and we eventually came to the rendezvous point.” Sorzus professionally explained to her master, who nodded in approval at his servant’s resourcefulness.

 

“You did well to lead your followers to me, Sorzus. You showed true leadership abilities during my absence, and I now know that you are ready to become a Darth.” Krayt said, his voice full of pride for the future Darth. “Now, kneel, my loyal servant.” Sorzus did as instructed, and Krayt then said, “By the power of the Dark Side of the Force, I now pronounce you a Dark Lady of the Sith. Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth…” Krayt hesitated for a moment, and, after reaching deep within the Dark Side of the Force, he knew what to name Sorzus, and he said, “Wyyrlok. Now, my loyal Shadow Hand, rise.”

 

Wyyrlok could hardly believe what was happening to her. Her loyal master had just named her after her father, and gave her the same responsibilities as the first Wyyrlok. She nervously said, “My lord, I am truly honored. I don’t know what to say.”

 

“You have led our people during our darkest hour, and I know that you will rebuild the One Sith in my absence, as I can feel the Yuuzhan Vong coral seeds growing inside of me, and I must return into stasis in order to halt their spread. But, fear not, you will be able to communicate with me telepathically, and, like your father before you, I will guide you when you need help. But, you must tell no one of my condition, as it could fracture and destroy the One Sith from within.” Krayt said in both a grave and reassuring tone, which touched Sorzus’s soul.

 

“I see. Then I will do both you and my father proud, Lord Krayt.” Sorzus said, full of determination as she resolved to do her master’s will. She then remembered that her father was dead at the Jedi’s hands, and she then sadly said, “I only wish that my father could be here.”

 

“I know.” Krayt sympathetically said before he continued, saying, “But he gave his life for our cause, so now we have to honor his sacrifice, and carry on the fight to bring true order to this galaxy.” Sorzus appreciated the words, and the two Sith went to fulfill their respective responsibilities.

 

_Six Months Later_

_Within the Jedi Temple on Shedu Maad_

_In the Temple’s Medbay_

 

“You’re doing great, Ves. It won’t be long now. Lon’s eager to see his mother’s face.” Ben eagerly said to his wife, who was nearly finished in being in labor with their son.

 

She then screamed in great anguish, which, through the Force, could be felt throughout the Jedi Temple, and her pain was only soothed when Jedi Council member and leading healer, Cighal, sent strong bursts of healing energy into her being in order to ease her agony. The Jedi Knight then took deep breaths in order to center her soul, and, realizing that it was time to give birth to her first child, expended the bulk of her energy into pushing her son into the greater galaxy. After a few more minutes, a great crying sound could be heard, and everyone saw the small and fragile baby boy cry with powerful lungs. Cighal then gave the infant to his mother, and she cried tears of pure joy upon seeing her child’s face for the first time.

 

“He’s so beautiful.” Vestara joyously said as she heard a knocking sound on the door, and it opened to reveal the happy faces of Tau, Butch, Adari, Jaina, Allana, and Luke, as they sensed through the Force the birth of the newest Skywalker.

 

After sighing in defeat, the Mon Calamari healer gave in, and reluctantly said, “All right. You can come in. But, don’t overcrowd the baby, as he could be scared by all of the new faces. And, don’t take too long, as both he and his mother need to rest soon.”

 

With that said, she left the room, and everyone entered the room in a single-file line, keeping quiet as they did so, and Adari was the first one to break the silence, gently saying, “Oh, he’s beautiful. What are you two going to name him?”

 

The two Skywalkers shared a scheming look on their faces as Ben said, “Well, we were going to name him Edaan, but he came to us a week ago and said that he didn’t want to be a figure of worship, even if it was well-intentioned. So, we decided to name our son after people that meant so much to us, and named him Lon Gavar Skywalker.”

 

“Well, it’s nice to know that Edaan’s still watching over us, even if he is a Force Ghost.” Luke said before he said, “I’m so glad that you’re both honoring Lon Shevu and Gavar Khai, as they both helped you during your formative years.” He then remembered Lon Shevu, a deceased member of the defunct Galactic Alliance Guard who aided Ben Skywalker in proving that Jacen Solo killed Mara Jade Skywalker in order to complete his transformation into Darth Caedus, and was accidentally killed by the then Sith Apprentice Tahiri Veila before she repented of her crimes and returned to the Jedi Order, and was eventually butchered by Natasi Daala during her crusade against all Force Sensitives.

 

While he took a moment to honor Lon’s sacrifices, he also took a moment to pity Gavar Khai, Vestara Khai’s father, who used to be a respected Sith Saber of the Lost Tribe of the Sith before he defected to Abeloth’s side during the destruction of Tahv, and was killed by Vestara on Dromund Kaas. While he did not like Gavar, he respected his skills as a warrior, and wished that he could live to see the birth of his grandson.

 

“Thank you, Master Skywalker. I just wish that they were both here to see us, as I like to believe that they would have been proud of each of you.” Vestara gratefully said to her father-in-law before she turned serious, and she gravely said, “How long do the doctors say that you have left before you pass on?”

 

“Don’t worry, Vestara. I still have a little life left in me. For now, let’s enjoy the time that we have left together before we all go our separate ways.” Luke reassuringly said to his daughter-in-law, who decided to drop the matter for now, and just be there for her newly born son as Butch affectionately licked Lon’s face, which made him giggle at the tuk’ata’s antics, while everyone else looked on at the adorable display with various degrees of amusement.

 

_Three Weeks Later_

_In Luke Skywalker’s Room_

 

“I knew that this day would soon come. I just didn’t want to admit it, or want it to be so soon after Lon’s birth.” Ben said as he struggled to fight off the tears that permeated his eyes as he watched his father slowly die, with Adari, Tau, Butch, Jaina, Vestara, who was holding a sad Lon, and Allana watching Ben talk to his father before he died.

 

“Don’t worry, Ben. You all will be all right. You each have family to look after each other, and I am so proud of each of you for staying true to the Light Side of the Force, no matter what ordeals you had to endure. I only ask that you all be there for each other if anyone needs them.” Luke weakly said, his strained voice full of pride for his family, and for the Jedi Order that he had created and allowed to become stronger than it ever could be with Luke in charge.

 

“We promise, Uncle Luke.” Jaina said as she failed to keep her tears from falling off of her face, which made Luke sad, as he did not want to see everyone so upset about his passing.

 

“Do not despair, Jaina. I will always be a part of you, both through the Force, and through the memories and lessons that we have shared together. Stay loyal to each other, as you must help the galaxy continue its healing after Krayt’s machinations.” Luke gently said to his niece.

 

He then turned his head to face Vestara, and said, “Vestara, look after Ben, as I know that he will need you in order to help deal with my loss.”

 

“You have my word, Luke.” Vestara sadly replied as she cooed a sobbing Lon to sleep.

 

Luke then moved his eyes to face Tau, and said, “Tau, I need you to stay true to yourself and the Light Side of the Force, and you will find your place in the galaxy. You don’t need to live up to Edaan’s name, just forge your own destiny, as I can sense that your path lies along a different life than the Jedi Order.”

 

This shocked everyone but Tau, who then said, “Look, guys, I’ve been speaking to Master Skywalker about this, and I feel that I can do more good for the galaxy right now as an independent agent of the Jedi Order. Perhaps one day I can return, but not right now, as I need to find myself before I can lead. But, right now, this isn’t about me, it’s about Luke. So, let’s leave this matter for later, okay?”

 

Everyone here knew that this was not the time or place to chew out Tau, so they agreed to his request, and Luke then began to violently hack and cough for several moments before he began to lose consciousness.

 

“Dad? DAD!!!” Ben screamed to his father as he felt his life force slipping away.

 

“ _It’s all right, Ben. Your father just wants to find peace after so many years of hardship._ ” Said the voice of Ben’s mother, Mara Jade Skywalker, which surprised everyone present, and Ben found himself at a loss for words. Even more shocking was the appearance of both Leia Organa Solo and Anakin Skywalker, which left everyone speechless.

 

“What- what are you all doing here?” Tau disbelievingly said as he struggled to process that three Force Ghosts were coming before Luke as he died.

 

“ _We came to say stay with my son as he becomes One with the Force, as he’s given everything to protect the galaxy for nearly sixty years, so he’s more than earned it._ ” Anakin said as his he spoke with great pride in his voice.

 

“Grandma Leia? How are you and Grandpa Han doing?” Allana gently said to Leia.

 

Leia then warmly smiled at her granddaughter and said, “He is doing well, Allana, but we both miss you all terribly. We are so proud of who you all have become, and we’ll be watching over you from the Netherworld of the Force. We love you all so very much.”

 

Once Leia was done speaking, Luke breathed his last, and his body almost immediately vanished, leaving only his robes behind, as well as seven heartbroken souls and a tuk’ata houd.

 

**Well, that ends a very heartbreaking chapter of my penultimate chapter in my final story. So, Krayt and his remaining Sith have a plan to exact their revenge, Vestara gave birth to Lon Gavar Skywalker (I got the name from SW Fanon Wikia), and Luke Skywalker became One with the Force. Quite a large turn of events for our characters. Well, only one chapter remains in this story, and I plan to link it to another writer’s story in order to keep my characters alive. I won’t say who until my final chapter is done, so you’ll just have to guess whom the writer might be. Anyway, as of last night, Iron117Prime’s _Worlds Collide_ was updated, and the chapter was excellent, and has me excited for more. Oh, and, in sadder news, ArchReaperN7 has, due to circumstances outside of his control, decided to stop writing his fanfictions, which is a shame, as I love his _Mass Effect_ fanfictions very much. So, how are you all doing on the evening of July 30, 2017, as I am well? Well, I guess that that’s it for my latest chapter. I’ll see you all for a final time in a few days, if I’m lucky. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!**


	33. Epilogue

**Good morning, everyone. How are you doing on this hot day of July 31, 2017? I am well, as I mowed my parents’ back lawn earlier today, I read Sqausher’s latest chapter of _Unexpected Jedi,_ and loved it, and am ready to finish this story. It has been an incredible journey over the nearly eighteen months of the past, as I learned that I am a better writer than I give myself credit for, and that many people share my love of the old Star Wars universe instead of the new, which gives me a degree of comfort in this uncertain age. So, when we last left off in my story, Luke Skywalker had just become One with the Force, and Tau was preparing to leave the Jedi Order in order to find his own way in the galaxy. This chapter will detail those efforts, and should only take me, at the most, two days to complete, as I expect it to be a shorter chapter, just like my previous one. May the Force be with me, as I want this series to be one the you all remember as a tribute to the True Expanded Universe. **

_Two Weeks Later_

_Within the Jedi Temple’s Hangar_

 

Tau Palpatine was very nervous right now, which was to be expected, as he was preparing to depart on his journey to find himself through the guidance of the Light Side of the Force. He was just finishing up on loading his provisions on Edaan’s former ship, the _Second Chance_ , when he saw Ben, Vestara, who was carrying a sleeping Lon, Akku, along with the six remaining members of his Mandalorian company, Jarael, Butch, Adari, AG-37, and Ben’s personal astromech droid, R9-G6. Tau then said, “Is there something that I can help you guys with, as I’m almost ready to depart?”

 

“You didn’t think that we’d let you leave without a few parting gifts, Tau, did you?” Vestara accusingly asked the Iteration before she adopted a warm smile on her face and said, “I have a few weapons from Kesh that you could find useful, just in case you need to hunt for your food or anything. They’re already loaded on the _Second Chance_.”

 

Tau nodded in gratitude before Ben said, “I also have a gift for you, Tau.” The Jedi Master then reached into a pocket pulled our Edaan’s personal Jedi holocron, which shocked Tau, as he thought that the Jedi were still recording all of the knowledge within it for future generations of Jedi Younglings. Ben then continued, saying, “We finished downloading all of the knowledge within the holocron into the Jedi Archives, so the Council decided that it would be better suited in your hands, where you can add to the knowledge within and use as a source of wisdom whenever you need it.”

 

“I… I don’t know what to say, guys.” Tau numble said as he struggled to process what had just happened. Ben, who hates the Sith with a passion, entrusted his former apprentice’s holocorn in the hands of a Sith creation, and trusted him to not abuse the wisdom within. He then found his voice as he took the holocron, and humbly said, “I will do my best to honor your trust in me, Ben.”

 

Tau then faced Akku, Jarael, the six remaining Mandalorians under Akku’s command, and Butch, and said, “Well, guys, what do you all have to give me for the journey ahead?”

 

“Something that will no doubt save your life, Tau. We’re all going with you on your journey of self-discovery.” Akku declared, which left Tau speechless, as he expected to go on this journey all on his own.

 

“B-but you guys each have your own responsibilities, and, I could be gone for a long time. I couldn’t ask that of any of you.” Tau ardently said before Butch pounced on him and began to lick him on the face repeatedly, which made Tau laugh in embarrassment, and amused everyone else.

 

“O-okay, down, boy.” Tau stuttered out through the Tuk’ata’s constant licking. After getting back up and taking a few deep breaths, he said, “Why do you guys want to come with me? I thought that Akku wanted to rebuild his company, and Jarael wanted to return to the Armand Isard Correctional Facility to help the inmates? Not to mention how busy Atai is running the government of Zygerria, which explains why he isn’t here for this hare-brained scheme.”

 

“Well, Tau, there’s no way that we’re letting you go off on your own. Besides, I can rebuild my company while traveling, and the fringe is the best place to get the greatest of fighters.” Akku calmly said.

 

“And the correctional facility has enough medics there. Right now, the galactic fringe could use a good medic, and I’m one of the best in the business.” Jarael confidently replied.

 

Tau, realizing that neither of his brother’s former comrades could be dissuaded from this path, sighed in defeat, and then turned to face Adari, and said, “Are you going to be coming with us, Adari, because I understand if you don’t want to, what, since you’ll be traveling with Edaan’s twin brother, and since there’s the Jedi Praxeum on Kesh that needs good teachers?”

 

“Sorry, Tau, but Kesh really needs me right now, and I feel that I need to go home and help lead my people into the new age. But, I’ll be with you in spirit, and I’ll hope for the best for you and the others.” Adari regretfully said.

 

“Ah, don’t worry about it, Adari.” Tau dismissively said before he turned to face R9-G6 and AG-37, and said, “What about you two? Will you be coming with me on my odyssey?”  


“Well, Tau, as much as I’d love to go fighting for freedom and justice across the galaxy, I have too many responsibilities here as an instructor at the Jedi Temple that they cannot be ignored. But, like Adari, I’ll be thinking about you, and hope that you eventually return. However, Arnine here has been assigned by Ben to be your personal astromceh droid in order to help with maintaining the _Second Chance_ , as I know how difficult that ship can be, since I spent so many decades on the _Millennium Falcon_.” Ag sympathetically said.

 

“Thank you for the kind words, AG. I hope that I do return as well. Well, you guys better get your stuff situated on the _Second Chance_ , as I plan to take off in just a few minutes.” Tau gratefully said to the assassin droid before he spoke to his shipmates. Once the nine friends made their way onboard the ship, he then turned to face Ben, Vestara, and Adari, and solemnly said, “I guess that this is goodbye for now. I’m not good at good-byes, so... May the Force be with you all in this new age.”

 

“May it be with you as well, Tau Palpatine.” Vestara Khai said as Tau then boarded the ship, and, after a few minutes of last-minute preparations, it quickly took off into space, where it quickly jumped into hyperspace for parts unknown.

 

The three friends then prepared to head to the _Jade Shadow_ , and Adari said, “Well, I suppose that we’d better get ready for our departure for Kesh, as we’ve got a new life there to start.”

 

“That we do, Adari. That we do.” Ben sadi in agreement as he took a last look at his sleeping son, and silently thanked Edaan for everything that he had done for everyone in the galaxy.

 

 

_The Darkness will always rise up to cover the galaxy in shadow. But there will always be champions of the Light to resist them, and the flame of the Light will shine brightly for many generations before it is challenged again._

 

 

_Two Weeks Later, 58 ABY_

_In Hyperspace, Within the_ Second Chance

_Ten Parsecs Within the Unknown Regions_

“I’m telling you guys, this is the direction where I’ve been sensing that powerful disturbance in the Force.” Tau insisted for the fifteenth time to Jarael and Akku, who appeared skeptical as Tau’s claims.

 

“And I’ve been telling you, Tau, that there’s nothing on the radar. Which makes sense, because, after Order Sixty-Six, a group of Jedi came in this direction, and were never heard from again.” Akku countered to his friend, who merely sighed in exasperation at his friends’ skepticism.

 

Tau was about to counter with a clever rebuttal when he felt a power in the Force that defied comprehension, and that power said, _You have heard my call, servant of the Light._

“Your call? What do- Who are you?” Tau said as the ship began to rattle from the outside, which baffled Jarael and Akku.

 

 _I am Ilúvatar, Jedi Knight Tau Palpatine. I am the creator of all things, and you have been chosen for a great task._ The voice said, which made Tau realize that he might be talking to a Celestial.

 

“What task, Ilúvatar?” Tau cautiously said as the ship’s shaking began to increase, and the ship was beginning to be pulled out of hyperspace by an unknown power, while Akku and Jarael tried to figure out the problem.

 

 _To correct the mistakes of the few, and to protect the world of Arda from two grave threats. Find the Jedi and their allies on Arda, and aid them in their war, and you will find your purpose. May the Force be with you, Jedi Knight Tau Palpatine._ Ilúvatar said as the ship was immediately pulled out of hyperspace, and everyone was pushed forward by the momentum of the unexpected turn of events.

 

“Oh, great! Now where are we?” Akku said to no one in particular as he struggled to get the ship’s instruments working again.

 

“I don’t know, but I can sense a planet nearby, along with a massive presence in the Force on that world, one that is pure evil.” Tau apprehensively said as he noticed a sight that he only saw in holo records, a fully functional Yuuzhan Vong Worldship, which made him fearfully say, “Uh… Guys, we’d better head to the planet nearby.”

 

“Why?!?” Both Jarael and Akku angrily said before they saw the worldship, and quickly made their way to the unknown world, that was several thousand kilometers away, all the while avoiding the Coralskippers that now surged towards the CEC YT-1300 Light Freighter.

 

As the Second Chance made its way to the planet, Arnine came bolting into the cockpit, and shouted in droidspeak, whose words shocked everyone even more than they already were.

 

“OH, COME ON!!! How can we have been brought back in time seventy seventy-five years?!?” Jarael shouted in disbelief.

 

“A Celestial must have done so, Jarael. I heard a voice of a being known as Ilúvatar tell me that we had to correct the mistakes of the past, and it must have sent us back in time. We have to get to the planet and link us with the Jedi, who I’m willing to bet are the same Jedi that Akku just told us about, and their allies that are there, and help them stop the Yuuzhan Vong and whatever else is down there.” Tau grimly said.

 

“With what? Our massive armies and fleets? If you’re telling the truth, Edaan, then it’s just a handful of us against Darth Sidious’s Galactic Empire and the oncoming Yuuzhan Vong onslaught, and we can’t hope to fight it on our own!” Jarael angrily said to Tau.

 

“Look, let’s just focus on evading the Vong first, and then we’ll worry about the next move. Okay?” Tau said in a tone that would brook no argument, and Jarael agreed to let the matter drop for now. As they neared the nearby world that Tau could only assume be Arda, Tau silently thought to himself, _What mess did I get us into?_

 

**Well, that ends the final chapter of my final Jedi Odyssey story, which ended on July 31, 2017. So, tell me, what did you guys think of the whole series, as it took me nearly eighteen months to write this entire series? I hope that you enjoyed it, because I don’t think that I’ll be writing anymore, as there is nothing else that I want to write about. Now then, onto explanations: I had Akku, Jarael, and Butch join Tau because I wanted their stories to continue, as I liked their characters very much. And, you can soon find more of Tau, Jarael, Akku, and Butch in Squasher’s Hobbit and Star Wars crossover, _Unexpected Jedi_ , which will eventually include my characters once he gets far enough into his story. I hope that you all have good lives, and I hope that you all review my works, and tell me what you thought of my stories. Well, let me say this one last time: May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe! **


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